WORLD’S FIRST GONORRHOEA VACCINE PROGRAMME LAUNCHED IN UK AMID RISING INFECTIONS

The United Kingdom has launched the world’s first gonorrhoea vaccination programme, targeting rising infection rates and growing concern over antibiotic resistance.
The vaccine, 4CMenB (Bexsero®), initially developed to prevent meningitis B, has shown to offer up to 40% protection against gonorrhoea. The national rollout began on August 4, 2025, with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) offering the jab free of charge to individuals considered most at risk.
According to the UK Health Security Agency, the vaccine will be available at sexual health clinics across England, with full implementation expected by September 2025. Priority will be given to gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) who have had multiple sexual partners or a bacterial STI in the last year. Sex workers and others at equivalent risk will also be eligible.
Dr. Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at the UKHSA, said:
"This ground-breaking programme aims to reduce gonorrhoea cases, prevent long-term health complications, and curb the threat of drug-resistant infections."
Recent statistics show that gonorrhoea cases in the UK have surged, with a 60% increase in some regions over the past year. The NHS estimates that the vaccine could prevent over 100,000 cases in the next decade and save the health system up to £8 million.
If successful, the UK model could be replicated globally, providing a new tool in the fight against one of the world’s most prevalent and increasingly resistant sexually transmitted infections.