At-Home Depression Headset Now Available by Prescription in the US

A new at-home treatment option for depression has arrived in the US: a wearable headset developed by Swedish company Flow Neuroscience, now obtainable by prescription either in person or via telehealth.

The device is worn on the forehead for 30 minutes a day and controlled through a companion app. It delivers low-intensity electrical stimulation to the left frontal lobe, a brain region tied to mood regulation where people with depression often show reduced activity.

The approach targets the same brain area as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), an approved depression treatment that requires clinic visits several days a week over multiple weeks and can cost up to $15,000 without insurance.

In a clinical trial of 174 people with major depressive disorder, 45 percent of those using the Flow device saw symptoms go into remission after 10 weeks, compared with 22 percent in a control group given a sham version. Reported side effects were mild, including skin irritation, headaches, and difficulty concentrating.

In Europe, where the device has been approved since 2019, more than 65,000 people have used it, and the UK's National Health Service is piloting it as well.

In the US, however, the price remains steep: $2,200 for the first 10 weeks and $325 per month afterward, paid out of pocket since insurers do not yet cover it. The company says it is working toward securing insurance reimbursement.