Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt - Narrative (Details)

v3.5.0.2
Debt - Narrative (Details)
 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Nov. 05, 2015
USD ($)
Apr. 01, 2015
d
conversion_right
$ / shares
Jan. 30, 2013
USD ($)
d
$ / shares
Jun. 30, 2014
USD ($)
shares
Aug. 31, 2013
USD ($)
conversion_right
shares
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
d
institution
conversion_right
$ / shares
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
institution
$ / shares
Sep. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
institution
shares
Aug. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Interest paid             $ 2,519,000 $ 2,917,000    
Gain on embedded derivative             1,100,000      
Credit line capacity           $ 190,730,000 190,730,000      
Goodwill           $ 700,526,000 $ 700,526,000   $ 743,348,000  
Number of financial institutions | institution           9 9   10  
Bio-Reference                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Net assets           $ 1,000,000,000 $ 1,000,000,000      
Goodwill           392,000,000 392,000,000     $ 391,991,000
Intangible assets           $ 498,300,000 $ 498,300,000      
OPKO Health Europe                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Weighted average interest rate           2.90% 2.90%   4.30%  
Minimum | OPKO Health Europe                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Variable interest rates           1.80% 1.80%      
Maximum | OPKO Health Europe                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Variable interest rates           6.30% 6.30%      
Notes                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Long-term debt           $ 51,537,000 $ 51,537,000   $ 48,986,000  
Notes | Notes Due February 1, 2033                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Debt face amount     $ 175,000,000.0              
Interest rate on notes payable     3.00%         3.00%    
Equivalent redemption price     100.00%              
Conversion Rate   0.1414827 0.14148     0.1414827 0.1414827      
Conversion price per share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares   $ 7.07 $ 7.07     $ 7.07 $ 7.07      
Convertible debt, threshold percentage of stock price trigger   130.00% 130.00%     130.00%        
Number of trading days | d   20       20        
Number of consecutive trading days applicable conversion price   30 days       30 days        
Conversion right triggered | conversion_right   1     1 1        
2033 Senior Notes, conversion       $ 70,400,000 $ 16,900,000       $ 55,400,000  
Convertible debt, stock issued from conversion | shares         2,396,145          
Interest paid       $ 800,000            
Common stock trigger price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares   $ 9.19       $ 9.19        
Long-term debt           $ 32,200,000 $ 32,200,000      
Notes | Notes Due February 1, 2033 | Minimum                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Number of trading days | d     20              
Notes | Notes Due February 1, 2033 | Maximum                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Number of consecutive trading days applicable conversion price     30 days              
Notes | Notes Due February 1, 2033 | On or after February 1, 2017 and before February 1, 2019                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Equivalent redemption price     100.00%              
Line of Credit                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Weighted average interest rate           4.80% 4.80%   4.30%  
Common stock investments, available for sale | Notes | Notes Due February 1, 2033                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Convertible debt, stock issued from conversion | shares       10,974,431         8,118,062  
Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | New Credit Agreement                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Credit line capacity $ 175,000,000.0                  
Higher borrowing capacity option $ 275,000,000.0                  
Commitment fee percentage 0.25%                  
Swingline | Line of Credit | New Credit Agreement                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Credit line capacity $ 20,000,000.0                  
Letter of Credit | Line of Credit | New Credit Agreement                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Credit line capacity $ 20,000,000.0                  
LIBOR | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | New Credit Agreement                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Basis spread on variable rate 2.50%                  
LIBOR, First 12 Months | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | New Credit Agreement                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Basis spread on variable rate 0.35%                  
LIBOR Thereafter | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | New Credit Agreement                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Basis spread on variable rate 0.50%                  
LIBOR, First 12 Months, Adjusted for Eurocurrency Liabilities | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | New Credit Agreement                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Basis spread on variable rate 1.35%                  
LIBOR, Thereafter, Adjusted for Eurocurrency Liabilities | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | New Credit Agreement                    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                    
Basis spread on variable rate 1.50%