UK Launches World's First Gonorrhoea Vaccination Programme

In a groundbreaking public health initiative, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and local authorities are set to launch the world's first routine gonorrhoea vaccination programme. Starting in early August, the program will target high-risk individuals, particularly gay and bisexual men with recent histories of multiple partners or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

This unprecedented move follows the NHS's acceptance of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's (JCVI) recommendation in response to a record-high 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses in England in 2023, a staggering increase from previous years. The vaccination rollout aims to mitigate the surge of antibiotic-resistant strains of this STI.

According to research by the UK Health Security Agency, the 4CMenB vaccine, initially developed for meningococcal B disease, could offer up to 40% protection against gonorrhoea. The Imperial College London analysis projects that if the programme achieves high uptake, it could prevent up to 100,000 cases of gonorrhoea and result in savings of over GBP 7.9 million for the NHS over the next decade.

The collaborative effort includes identifying eligible individuals through local sexual health services, who will receive notifications about the vaccine and also offers for vaccinations against mpox, hepatitis A and B, and human papillomavirus (HPV). NHS England's Dr Amanda Doyle called the programme a significant advancement in sexual health protection.

(With inputs from agencies.)