England is making history as the first country to introduce a routine vaccine against gonorrhoea, aiming to curb rising rates of the sexually transmitted infection. The nationwide rollout is set to begin in August 2025 through sexual health clinics.
The vaccine will primarily be offered to gay and bisexual men who have a history of multiple sexual partners or previous STIs. Clinicians will also have the discretion to offer the jab to other high-risk individuals accessing sexual health services. Gonorrhoea cases in England hit a record high of over 85,000 in 2023, the highest since records began in 1918. While symptoms can include pain, unusual discharge, and infertility, many cases go undetected. More alarmingly, the infection is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
Dr. Amanda Doyle, NHS England:
“The launch of a world-first gonorrhoea vaccine is a huge step forward in preventing infection and fighting drug-resistant strains.”
Vaccine Details
Type: Meningitis B (MenB) vaccine
Effectiveness: Reduces gonorrhoea risk by up to 40%
Cost: Approximately £8 per dose
Other vaccines offered: Mpox, HPV, and Hepatitis vaccines will be available at the same visit.
Though originally developed for meningitis, the MenB vaccine is effective because the bacteria that cause meningitis and gonorrhoea are closely related. According to Imperial College London, widespread uptake could prevent over 100,000 infections and save the NHS nearly £8 million over the next 10 years.
Scotland is also planning a similar rollout, while Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to announce their intentions. It’s not yet clear how long protection from the vaccine lasts or whether booster shots will be needed.