England to Launch World-First Gonorrhoea Vaccine Drive

NHS England has announced the launch of the world’s first gonorrhoea vaccination programme.

The rollout follows a 2023 recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation for targeted routine vaccinations.

Vaccine Eligibility

The 4CMenB vaccine (Bexsero, GSK) will be offered to gay and bisexual men with a recent history of multiple sexual partners or a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Eligible individuals will be identified and contacted. The vaccine will be available through local authority–commissioned sexual health services starting in early August.

At the same appointment, patients will also be offered vaccinations for mpox, human papillomavirus, and hepatitis A and B.

Gonorrhoea Cases at Record High

Gonorrhoea is now the second most common bacterial STI in the UK. 

In 2023, more than 85,000 diagnoses were recorded in England — the highest number since records began in 1918.

Among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, diagnoses rose by 9.4% in 2023, from 37,095 to 40,586, according to UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data.

Rising Antibiotic Resistance Raises Alarm

Cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea continue to increase. 

Since first detected in 2015, 42 cases had been reported, including 15 that were extensively drug-resistant (XDR) — resistant to both ceftriaxone and second-line treatment.

Between January 2024 and March 2025, 17 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea were recorded. That exceeds the 16 cases reported during the 2-year period from January 2022 to December 2023. 

XDR cases nearly doubled in the same period, rising from five to nine.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been added to the UKHSA watchlist of high-threat pathogens.

Evidence Supports Vaccine Effectiveness

Studies show that the 4CMenB vaccine has an estimated effectiveness of 32.7%-42% against gonorrhoea.

Research led by Imperial College London suggests the vaccination programme could prevent more than 100,000 cases over 10 years and save the NHS more than £7.9 million.

“This vaccination programme is a hugely welcome intervention at a time when we’re seeing very concerning levels of gonorrhoea, including antibiotic resistant gonorrhoea,” said Dr Sema Mandal, consultant epidemiologist and deputy director at the UKHSA.

“Not only will this rollout provide much needed protection to those that need it most, but it will make the UK the first country in the world to offer this protection — and a world leader in protecting people against gonorrhoea,” she added in a press release.

Public Health Leaders Welcome Programme

James Woolgar, chair of the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners’ Group, described the programme as a “major milestone for public health.”

Richard Angell, chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, called the vaccine a “game changer,” noting that it could “could cut 40% of new gonorrhoea cases.”

Professor Matt Phillips, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), welcomed the move.

“Gonorrhoea diagnoses are at their highest since records began, and this has the potential to help us to turn that around,” he said. 

Dr Rob Hicks is a retired NHS doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written several books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online. He is based in the UK.