The Business - Principles of Consolidation (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 11, 2016
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage			19.90%
Change in Ownership in Subsidiary	$ 0	$ 0
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent			80.10%
Hitachi America [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	19.90%		21.00%
NeoStem, Inc. [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent	100.00%
Athelos Corporation [Member] | Becton Dickson [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Noncontrolling Interest in Variable Interest Entity	$ 0.016
Location [Member] | NeoStem, Inc. [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Entity Location	United States of America
Location [Member] | Amorcyte, LLC [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Entity Location	United States of America
Location [Member] | Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Entity Location	United States of America
Location [Member] | NeoStem Family Storage, LLC [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Entity Location	United States of America
Location [Member] | Athelos Corporation [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Entity Location	United States of America
Location [Member] | PCT Allendale, LLC [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Entity Location	United States of America
UNITED STATES | Amorcyte, LLC [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent	100.00%
UNITED STATES | Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent	80.10%
UNITED STATES | NeoStem Family Storage, LLC [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent	80.10%
UNITED STATES | Athelos Corporation [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent	98.40%
UNITED STATES | PCT Allendale, LLC [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent	80.10%
UNITED STATES | NeoStem Oncology [Member]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent	100.00%
Entity Location	United States of America