Vaccination Against Gonorrhoea - First Rollouts
England has become the first country in the world to start offering a meningococcal B vaccine (4CMenB) as part of a targeted programme to protect against gonorrhoea. While originally designed to prevent meningitis, research has shown that the jab also provides some protection (approx. 40%) against Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes gonorrhoea (likely due to shared antigens between N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae).
The programme is currently focused on men who have sex with men (MSM), a group considered to be at higher risk of infection. The goal is to test how effective the vaccine is in the real world, how long protection lasts, and whether it is a cost-effective strategy for broader use. Early results will guide whether the vaccine is offered more widely.
🌐 Read more about this program from the official source:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-begins-rollout-of-world-first-gonorrhoea-vaccine-programme
Other countries are closely watching England’s lead. Health authorities in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Europe are reviewing evidence and considering similar trials or pilot programmes (such as this one).
For individuals, 4CMenB (marketed as Bexsero) is available privately in 58 countries. It is important to remember that other countries do not offer this solution officially yet - it is still used for the prevention of meningitis, and using it to prevent gonorrhoea would be an example of off-label use and would definitely require a consultation with a doctor. Nevertheless, the fact that the vaccine already exists (first licensed in 2013) reduces doubts regarding its safety - it is a well-studied preparation with properly described potential side effects (see the Prescribing Information guide).
🌐 Find out more from these publications. All are from 2025:
Effectiveness of menb-4C vaccine against gonorrhoea
Meningococcal vaccines show effectiveness in gonorrhoea prevention
The United Kingdom meningococcal vaccine (4CMenB) programme against gonorrhoea
This marks the first real-world rollout of an existing vaccine to curb gonorrhoea infections - a major step in the fight against one of the world’s most stubborn and antibiotic-resistant sexually transmitted infections.
Even though the effectiveness of this vaccine could be higher (although the current rollout will look into it closer), this is amazing news - every little helps if it comes to health protection. Let's see what other advancements in science will bring!