NHS expands trial of drug-free treatment for depression

Clinicians to be offered ground-breaking alternative to antidepressants

PRESS RELEASE

DATE: 17th January, 2024; The NHS is to expand its program of drug-free treatment with a new trial available to eligible NHS clinicians who are suffering from depression.

Starting this month, in conjunction with the NHS Practitioner Health service, eligible front-line NHS clinicians will be able to access an effective alternative to antidepressants in the form of non-invasive treatment, tDCS treatment from Flow Neuroscience.

The treatment uses a brain stimulation technique - transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) - to target the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is the area of the brain controlling key cognitive skills such as emotional expression and is most associated with depression.

According to research, half of all doctors say their mental health is worse now than during the pandemic¹ and 84% of GPs have experienced symptoms of anxiety, stress or depression². Flow provides an additional option for those seeking treatment and can be used as part of a holistic approach alongside antidepressants, talking therapies and other techniques or as a standalone treatment.

A form of neurostimulation, the Flow device delivers weak direct electrical current via electrodes to restore activity in the left frontal lobe and help rebalance activity. The treatment is delivered through a headset worn by patients for just 30 minutes daily.

Erin Lee from Flow Neuroscience commented, “There is a mental health crisis amongst NHS professionals, and we need to open up the treatment options beyond drugs - which do not work for everyone, and cannot be taken by some professional in their field of work too. We owe our NHS practitioners access to as many treatment options as possible in order that they can find the right treatment for them and get well, and while antidepressants are one solution, many struggle with side effects.

“This trial will initially give 50 clinicians with depression the opportunity to access the effective, drug-free treatment, at home, without the side effects of medication.”

Flow recently received positive results in the largest-ever clinical trial of its kind. It was found to be twice as effective at treating depression than antidepressants** - without the major side effects – with over half (58%) of patients reporting all symptoms of depression were alleviated in just ten weeks.

Dr Zaid Al-Najjar, medical director for NHS practitioner health added, “Although we offer a wide range of treatments for mental health and addiction disorders, we are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to support our patients. We are therefore excited to work with Flow Neuroscience to offer eligible patients an evidence based alternative treatment for depression where indicated.”

This latest trial is part of Flow's broader NHS program, demonstrating how Flow can be effectively integrated into NHS operations to improve patient choice and outcomes and reduce the cost of care. While there are initially 50 places, there is potential to extend the scope further.

To read more about Flow’s at-home stimulation treatment and to buy or rent a Flow headset, head here.

ENDS

Flow Neuroscience was founded in 2016 in Malmö, Sweden, as the brainchild of clinical psychologist Daniel Månsson and neuroscientist Erik Rehn, to develop transformational treatments for mental illnesses. Utilising expertise from psychiatry and neuroscience, Månsson and Rehn had a vision to combine innovation with traditional science and healthcare to empower mental health on a global scale.

Flow is the first solution of the hardware-enabled digital health company and is a medically approved at-home brain stimulation treatment for depression. Last July, Flow's platform received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation - the first and only tDCS device to do so.

Building the gateway for the healthcare system to close the treatment gap and for patients to improve their depression - Flow enables a new option of treatment. Looking to the future, Flow Neuroscience will continue to create disruptive mental health tools to increase accessibility and medication-free options.

The headset (£399) and refill pads (£15) are normally available to purchase online at flowneuroscience.com or customers can rent the device on a monthly basis (£79). Available for both iPhone and Android, the app is available to download from the App Store and Google Play, and users must be at least 17 years old to download.

RCT trial information:

**Based on a comparison of odds ratios, a standardised way of comparing clinical trials and a form of measurement for the difference in effect between treatment and placebo. The Flow 2023 study showed that participants had greater than three times higher odds of getting substantially better if they got the active treatment vs if they got placebo/sham stimulation, approximately double the average effect size witnessed in the trials for the 21 best-selling antidepressants reviewed by the FDA.

¹ https://www.medicalprotection.org/uk/articles/half-of-doctors-say-mental-health-is-worse-now-than-during-the-pandemic#:~:text=Nearly%20half%20of%20healthcare%20professionals,professionals%20with%20mental%20health%20issues.

² https://www.gponline.com/gps-face-work-related-mental-ill-health-campaigners-warn-suicide-risk/article/1754322