Thousands of gonorrhoea cases could be prevented over the next decade as the NHS rolls out the world’s first vaccination programme against the infection.
Starting in August 2025, eligible individuals will be offered the 4CMenB vaccine—originally developed for meningococcal B disease—through local authority-commissioned sexual health services.
The programme targets gay and bisexual men with a recent history of multiple sexual partners or a sexually transmitted infection (STI), in response to a record 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses in England in 2023—three times higher than in 2012.
Research by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows the 4CMenB vaccine could reduce gonorrhoea infections by up to 40%, offering a vital tool in the fight against rising antibiotic-resistant strains. If widely adopted, modelling by Imperial College London suggests the programme could prevent up to 100,000 cases and save the NHS over £7.9 million over the next decade.
Eligible patients will be contacted through sexual health services and offered the vaccine alongside other STI-preventing jabs, including mpox, hepatitis A and B, and HPV.
Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS England’s National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, said:
“The launch of a world-first routine vaccination for gonorrhoea is a huge step forward for sexual health and will be crucial in protecting individuals, helping to prevent the spread of infection and reduce the rising rates of antibiotic resistant strains of the bacteria.
“NHS teams across the country are now working hard to plan the rollout and ensure we hit the ground running, while the routine mpox vaccination programme builds on the vital progress the NHS has made in recent months in reaching as many eligible people as possible.
“Vaccination is so important in helping to keep each other safe, so I would urge anyone eligible to take up the offer later this year when NHS staff start delivering these vaccines”.
Gonorrhoea is the second most common STI in England, often asymptomatic but capable of causing serious complications such as infections in the eyes, testicles, or prostate if left untreated. Symptoms, when present, may include:
- Painful urination
- Genital discharge
- Lower abdominal or testicular pain
The infection can be transmitted even without symptoms, making routine testing and prevention critical. The NHS continues to recommend condom use with new or casual partners as the most effective protection.
This vaccination programme builds on the NHS’s broader sexual health strategy, including the nationwide rollout of mpox vaccinations earlier this year.
Image credit : iStock
