England: England is set to become the first country in the world to introduce a routine vaccination program for gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that has reached record levels and is growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
The vaccine rollout will begin in August 2025, targeting gay and bisexual men who have a history of multiple sexual partners or previous STI diagnoses.
The jab will be offered through sexual health services and delivered alongside other vaccines such as HPV, hepatitis, and mpox (formerly monkeypox). Interestingly, the jab being used wasn’t originally designed to prevent gonorrhea. It is the meningitis B (MenB) vaccine, currently given to infants in the UK.
Due to the genetic similarities between the Neisseria bacteria that cause meningitis and gonorrhea, research suggests the vaccine reduces gonorrhea infections by 30-40 percent. While this protection rate is modest, public health officials say it could have a major impact.
🚨 Landmark gonorrhoea vaccination programme announced in England
BASHH warmly welcomes the excellent news that NHS England will roll out the world’s first routine gonorrhoea vaccination programme.
Please read our full response on the BASHH website ➡️ https://t.co/M98RetwUML pic.twitter.com/uYPTsxhuPD
— BASHH (@BASHH_UK) May 21, 2025
“Despite being only 30 percent effective, this vaccine is worth having and could significantly reduce cases,” said Prof Andrew Pollard, chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), which recommended the move.
England recorded over 85,000 cases of gonorrhea in 2023, the highest since records began in 1918. The infection often presents with no symptoms but can cause painful urination, genital discharge, inflammation, and infertility.
The vaccine rollout will prioritise populations most at risk: young adults aged 16 to 25, gay and bisexual men, and individuals of Black and Caribbean heritage. At a cost of £8 per dose, the program is considered cost-effective when focused on these high-risk groups.
Clinicians will also have the discretion to offer the vaccine to other individuals deemed at elevated risk during visits to sexual health clinics.
