Gonorrhoea vaccine roll out begins

From today, sexual health clinics will be able to offer a free vaccine to patients at highest risk of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) gonorrhoea, including gay and bisexual men who have a recent history of multiple sexual partners and a bacterial STI in the previous 12 months.

The 4CMenB vaccine will help shield those most at risk of gonorrhoea — potentially averting up to 100,000 cases of the disease, while easing pressure on vital NHS services.

Responding to the news, Greg Fell, ADPH President, said:

“Staff on the ground do an amazing job to provide support in a safe, non-judgemental environment and today marks a major milestone in their work to prevent infections, reduce health inequalities and reverse the increasing numbers of STIs we are seeing.”

Sarah Aston, from the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners’ Group, said:

“This is a much-needed and very welcome intervention, and one that public health staff will work hard to embed within sexual health services locally to reverse the alarming rise in gonorrhoea cases across the country.”