Overview
Boise has emerged as one of the Pacific Northwest’s more active healthcare markets, driven by sustained population growth, an expanding medical corridor along State Street and the downtown core, and increasing patient demand for alternatives to long-term opioid management and elective surgery. The city’s healthcare infrastructure is anchored by Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and the St. Luke’s Health System, both of which support a broad network of affiliated specialty practices. Within that network, and in independent practice alongside it, a growing number of physicians have developed dedicated regenerative medicine programs that include stem cell therapy alongside complementary biologics such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and prolotherapy.
Patients in the Boise area seek stem cell therapy for a wide range of reasons, but musculoskeletal pain — chronic joint degeneration, tendon pathology, cartilage loss, and sports injuries — represents the most common clinical motivation. For patients who have plateaued with physical therapy, who are not yet surgical candidates, or who want to avoid the recovery burden of orthopedic surgery, autologous biologics offer a pathway that works with the body’s own repair mechanisms rather than bypassing them. Beyond orthopedics, some patients pursue regenerative approaches for systemic and hormonal conditions: metabolic dysfunction, adrenal fatigue, thyroid disease, and age-related decline in energy and cognitive function. The clinical evidence base varies across these indication categories, and patients benefit from understanding where research is strongest before committing to a treatment plan.
Boise’s regenerative medicine landscape includes two broad clinic types. The first is the orthopedic or interventional pain practice, where a physician with surgical or anesthesiology training incorporates stem cell and PRP procedures as an extension of musculoskeletal care. These providers typically use imaging guidance during injections, maintain hospital affiliations, and operate within a conventional medical framework. The second type is the integrative or functional medicine clinic, where a physician frames stem cell therapy within a broader program of hormonal optimization, nutritional medicine, and lifestyle intervention. Both models have legitimate clinical contexts; the right fit depends on why the patient is seeking treatment.
Evaluating a stem cell clinic in Boise requires asking the same questions you would ask of any specialist: Is the treating physician licensed by the Idaho Board of Medicine? What is their board certification, and is that certification specifically relevant to the procedures they perform? What is the source of the stem cells — the patient’s own adipose tissue, bone marrow, or an outside donor product — and how does that affect safety and regulatory status? Is imaging used to guide injections? What outcome data or follow-up protocols does the clinic use? The three practices profiled below were selected because each has a verifiable street address in the Treasure Valley, a named licensed physician with publicly confirmable credentials, and an accessible https-secured website. No compensation was received for inclusion.
Top Stem Cell Therapy Clinics in Boise
1. Pain Care Boise
Address: 301 W Myrtle St, Boise, ID 83702
Phone: (208) 342-8200
Website: https://www.paincareboise.com
About: Pain Care Boise is a downtown Boise interventional pain management practice that serves teenagers and adults with ongoing pain that has not responded adequately to conventional medical treatment. The practice is built around a philosophy of minimizing opioid dependence, finding alternatives to surgery where clinically appropriate, and using evidence-based procedures to address the underlying structural causes of pain rather than suppressing symptoms pharmacologically. Regenerative medicine, including stem cell therapy, PRP, and prolotherapy, sits at the center of that philosophy. The clinic operates with a clear emphasis on procedural precision: all regenerative injections are performed using real-time imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement at the target tissue. Christopher Vaughan, MD, holds affiliations with multiple regional hospital systems, including Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center, and several other facilities across southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, providing a safety infrastructure around his outpatient practice. The clinic pairs Dr. Vaughan with Jillian Vaughan, NP-C, an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, enabling coordinated longitudinal care beyond individual procedures.
Physicians:
- Christopher Vaughan, MD — Interventional Pain Management and Anesthesiology. Dr. Vaughan earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Portland and his medical degree from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). He completed his residency in anesthesiology and a fellowship in anesthesiology and interventional pain management at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He is board-certified in both Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. He relocated to Boise to be near family and has built a practice focused on bringing cutting-edge, evidence-based interventional pain medicine to the region.
Services:
- Stem Cell Therapy (Bone Marrow Concentrate): Pain Care Boise uses the patient’s own bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), harvested under x-ray guidance from the iliac crest. MSCs are progenitor cells capable of differentiating into cartilage, tendon, bone, or muscle tissue. The concentrated cells are then deployed to the injury site to accelerate the healing cascade, promote structural repair, and reduce pain. Most patients require a single treatment session with a recovery protocol spanning four to six weeks.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: PRP is produced by centrifuging the patient’s own blood to concentrate platelets, which release growth factors and chemotactic signals that attract stem cells to the damaged tissue. PRP is particularly indicated for partial tendon and ligament tears, meniscus injuries, and degenerative disc disease.
- Prolotherapy: An injection of concentrated glucose solution administered under ultrasound imaging to trigger a localized healing response in damaged ligaments and connective tissue. Frequently used for sacroiliac joint strains, ankle sprains, whiplash injuries, shin splints, and costochondritis.
- Interventional Pain Procedures: The practice also offers epidural steroid injections, nerve root blocks, radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, joint injections, trigger point injections, and the MILD minimally invasive procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis.
Conditions Treated:
- Osteoarthritis of large joints (shoulders, hips, knees)
- Full-thickness and partial tendon tears
- Ligament tears and sprains
- Meniscus injuries
- Degenerative disc disease
- Cartilage defects
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Sports injuries
- Chronic low back, neck, and joint pain
Technology and Equipment: Ultrasound and fluoroscopic (x-ray) imaging guidance used for all regenerative and interventional injections, ensuring precise anatomical placement.
Patient Experience: The practice emphasizes open communication between patients and providers as a clinical principle, with Dr. Vaughan taking documented time to explain diagnoses and treatment options so patients can participate actively in their care decisions. Patient ratings on Healthgrades average 4.5 out of 5.
2. Stem Cells of Idaho
Address: 4842 N Cortona Way, Suite 110, Meridian, ID 83646
Phone: (208) 579-2037
Website: https://stemcellsofidaho.com
About: Stem Cells of Idaho is a Treasure Valley regenerative medicine clinic with locations serving both Meridian and Boise, focused exclusively on autologous adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) therapy. The clinic’s clinical model is built around a single core premise: adipose tissue yields a substantially higher concentration of younger, more robust mesenchymal stem cells than bone marrow, and processing those cells through a closed, minimally invasive procedure preserves their viability and potency. Dr. Gregory Schweiger, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with over 22 years of clinical experience, leads the practice and holds specific credentialing in the closed-system adipose harvesting procedure used at the clinic. This procedure is, according to the clinic, the exclusive adipose-based stem cell protocol available in the Treasure Valley. Stem Cells of Idaho is an affiliate of the Cell Surgical Network, which provides access to a broader database of clinical cases and research findings to inform treatment protocols. The clinic also offers cryogenic stem cell banking in partnership with American Cell Technology, allowing patients to preserve harvested cells for future use.
Physicians:
- Gregory Schweiger, MD — Board-certified Orthopedic Surgery (trauma and sports medicine). Dr. Schweiger completed his undergraduate education at California State University Sacramento and earned his medical degree from the University of Southern California. He completed both his internship and orthopedic surgery residency at The Ohio State University Hospitals, followed by a trauma fellowship at Case Western Reserve MetroHealth Medical Center (completed 1999). He has 22 years of clinical orthopedic experience, with particular expertise in complex fracture care, reconstruction, knee arthroscopy, hip arthroscopy for femoral acetabular impingement, ACL reconstruction, and minimally invasive joint procedures. He holds specialized credentialing in autologous adipose-derived stem cell therapy.
Services:
- Autologous Adipose-Derived Stem Cell (ADSC) Therapy: The core procedure involves a mini-liposuction under local anesthesia to harvest adipose tissue from the patient. The tissue is processed using a closed-system technique that isolates the stromal vascular fraction (SVF), which is rich in mesenchymal stem cells and supporting growth factors. The processed cells are then deployed to the target tissue or joint. Research cited by the clinic indicates ADSCs retained enhanced regenerative capacity compared to bone marrow stem cells in donor-matched studies, suggesting superior performance for musculoskeletal tissue engineering.
- Stem Cell Banking and Cryopreservation: Patients may elect to have their harvested adipose stem cells cryogenically stored through a collaboration with American Cell Technology. Banked cells remain available for future treatment cycles, preserving younger cells for use at a later age.
- Cell Surgical Network Protocols: As a network affiliate, the clinic applies treatment protocols informed by an extensive database of clinical outcomes and therapy variations compiled across network sites.
Conditions Treated:
- Osteoarthritis (knee, hip, shoulder, and other joints)
- Tendonitis and bursitis
- Acute musculoskeletal injuries
- Cartilage and ligament degeneration
- Chronic joint pain and degenerative processes
- Heart disease (investigational/emerging)
- Asthma and COPD (investigational/emerging)
- Autoimmune conditions including Rheumatoid Arthritis and Crohn’s Disease (investigational/emerging)
- Other inflammatory and neurological conditions
Technology and Equipment: Closed-system adipose harvesting and processing technology; cryogenic storage partnership with American Cell Technology; Cell Surgical Network clinical database access for protocol development.
3. Idaho Center for Regenerative Medicine (ICRM)
Address: 6001 State St, Suite B, Garden City, ID 83703
Phone: (208) 995-2802
Website: https://icrmboise.com
About: The Idaho Center for Regenerative Medicine is an integrative practice located in Garden City, immediately adjacent to Boise, that approaches regenerative medicine through the lens of functional health optimization rather than acute procedural intervention. The clinic is led by Robert J. Haake, D.O., a physician with board certifications spanning internal medicine, nephrology, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine, whose career has moved from two decades of private nephrology practice in Illinois to a focused program of hormonal restoration and metabolic medicine in Idaho. The ICRM model targets the pathophysiologic causes of chronic symptoms — rather than the symptoms themselves — using a systems-oriented methodology that engages patients as active participants in a therapeutic partnership. The clinic uses new patient intake questionnaires segmented by sex to begin building individualized health baselines before treatment planning begins. This intake structure reflects an evidence-based functional medicine approach: identify the underlying drivers, construct a personalized optimization plan, and apply treatment modalities that address root causes rather than downstream manifestations.
Physicians:
- Robert J. Haake, D.O. — Board-certified Internal Medicine, Nephrology, and Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Haake earned his undergraduate degree from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, and completed graduate studies in biology at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine. His postgraduate training included an internal medicine residency at Saint Louis University and a fellowship in Nephrology at SSM Health / Saint Louis University School of Medicine (completed 1984). He is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Nephrology, and Critical Care through the American College of Physicians, and additionally board-certified in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), a certification he obtained in 2013. He spent 20 years in private nephrology practice in Belleville, Illinois, serving as Medical Director for multiple dialysis centers, before relocating to Boise in 2009 and eventually establishing ICRM.
Services:
- Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT): Personalized hormonal restoration using bio-identical compounds tailored to the patient’s endogenous hormonal profile. Addresses estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, thyroid, and adrenal hormones depending on patient evaluation.
- Regenerative and Anti-Aging Medicine: A structured program combining hormonal optimization, nutritional supplementation, dietary guidance (including Paleo-framework protocols), and lifestyle modification to restore what the clinic describes as “optimal youthful physiologic function.”
- Macronutrition and Micronutrition Counseling: Assessment of nutrient status and dietary patterns as a foundation for metabolic correction.
- Weight Training and Exercise Programming: Structured protocols supporting hormonal health and metabolic function.
- Supplementation Protocols: Evidence-informed supplementation addressing identified micronutrient deficiencies and functional imbalances.
Conditions Treated:
- Adrenal fatigue
- Thyroid disease and dysfunction
- Metabolic syndrome
- Sexual dysfunction (male and female)
- Weight management and obesity
- Chronic fatigue and low energy
- Mood disorders
- Sleep disturbances
- Cognitive concerns (poor concentration, memory loss)
- Hormonal imbalances across life stages
Patient Experience: New patients complete sex-specific health questionnaires prior to their initial visit, enabling Dr. Haake to review comprehensive baseline data and tailor the consultation accordingly. This intake model supports the clinic’s stated commitment to individualized, root-cause-oriented care.
What to Know Before Choosing a Stem Cell Clinic in Boise
Before scheduling a consultation at any Boise-area regenerative medicine practice, verify the treating physician’s credentials independently. The Idaho Board of Medicine maintains a public license verification portal where you can confirm that a physician holds an active, unrestricted Idaho medical license. Board certification should be confirmed through the relevant certifying body: the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) for MD physicians and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) or relevant specialty boards for DO physicians. For regenerative medicine specifically, note that board certification in anti-aging medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) is not a primary specialty board equivalent to ABMS certification — it is a supplementary credential that indicates focused training in that domain, not a replacement for primary specialty board certification. Ask each clinic to clarify the physician’s primary board certification and how long they have been performing the specific regenerative procedure you are considering.
Ask procedural questions that reveal how the clinic operates clinically. Is the stem cell harvest autologous — meaning cells come from your own body — or allogeneic, meaning sourced from a donor? The FDA’s regulatory posture on same-day autologous procedures differs from its posture on donor-derived and expanded cell products. Does the clinic use imaging guidance for injections? Ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance are standard of care for precise placement at musculoskeletal target sites; clinics that do not use imaging for joint or spine injections warrant additional scrutiny. What follow-up protocol does the clinic provide post-treatment, and does the physician track patient outcomes systematically? Legitimate regenerative medicine practices track results and can speak to their outcomes data even if that data is informal.
In Boise, as in most U.S. markets, stem cell therapy for musculoskeletal conditions is not typically covered by commercial insurance or Medicare, meaning most procedures are out-of-pocket costs that can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the complexity of the procedure and the type of biologic used. Request an itemized estimate before any treatment decision, and be cautious of clinics that discount heavily or create urgency around pricing. Legitimate practices do not require same-day decisions, and no clinic can guarantee outcomes for any regenerative procedure. If a consultation produces representations of guaranteed results, that is a red flag regardless of the clinic’s other qualities.
Finally, consider what imaging or diagnostic workup you already have and what additional evaluation a Boise clinic recommends before initiating treatment. A responsible interventional or regenerative medicine physician will want to review relevant MRI, X-ray, or lab data before recommending a biologic procedure. If a clinic proposes to treat you without reviewing existing imaging or ordering appropriate diagnostics, that absence of clinical rigor should factor heavily into your decision. You may also benefit from obtaining a second opinion from a primary care physician or orthopedic specialist before committing to regenerative treatment, particularly if the clinic is your first point of contact with the healthcare system for a given complaint. The clinics listed in this directory provide a starting point for that evaluation; the final decision should be made in partnership with your own healthcare team.
Disclaimer: This directory is for informational purposes only. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement of any clinic, physician, treatment, or outcome. Credential and contact information was verified against publicly available sources as of February 2026 and may change. Verify all credentials, addresses, and physician information directly with each clinic before making any healthcare decisions. Consult a licensed physician before pursuing any stem cell or regenerative medicine treatment.