Is stem cell therapy deductible?

[MonikaK1]

Generally, the costs of medical therapies that are prescribed by a physician to cure, treat, or prevent disease and are legal in the United States are deductible as a medical expense.

Medical expenses are the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and for the purpose of affecting any part or function of the body. These expenses include payments for legal medical services rendered by physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other medical practitioners. They include the costs of equipment, supplies, and diagnostic devices needed for these purposes. Medical care expenses must be primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental disability or illness. They don't include expenses that are merely beneficial to general health, such as vitamins or a vacation. 

See IRS Publication 502 for more information.

See here for another discussion of this topic from a previous tax year.

[Opus 17]

That depends on what the "stem cell therapy" was for.

You can deduct expenses you paid to diagnose or treat a disease or condition that affects the natural function of the body.  However, you can't deduct cosmetic procedures, and you can't deduct illegal procedures.  You can't deduct procedures performed in other countries unless they would have been legal if performed in the US. 

Clearly, a stem cell transplant for leukemia is deductible, it's a standard recognized medical treatment.  Stem cells for hair loss?  Vampire face lift?  No.  Autologous platelet therapy for joint deterioration?  Maybe.   It depends on the condition being treated, and whether the therapy is approved, or under an approved investigational status (clinical trial), and whether the person performing it is considered a qualified medical provider.

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/fda-warns-about-stem-cell-therapies