NHS England will start a new vaccination programme on August 1 to fight the spread of gonorrhoea. It will be the first of its kind in the world. Patients who qualify will be contacted and invited to get the jab at local sexual health clinics across England.
This move comes after health officials recorded more than 85,000 gonorrhoea cases in 2023. That is the highest number in over 100 years. The sharp rise has raised concerns, especially because many cases are becoming harder to treat with current antibiotics.
The vaccine being used is called 4CMenB. It was first made to protect babies from meningococcal B disease. It contains proteins that are also found in the bacteria that cause gonorrhoea. This makes it useful for preventing both diseases. Studies show the vaccine can cut the risk of gonorrhoea by up to 42 percent.
Patients will not only receive the gonorrhoea vaccine. During their visit, they will also be offered vaccines for other infections. These include mpox, HPV, and hepatitis A and B. The goal is to give people stronger protection against a wide range of diseases in one visit.
Many people who have gonorrhoea do not show any signs. When symptoms do appear, they may include pain while peeing, unusual discharge, stomach pain, or rectal discomfort. Women may also notice bleeding between periods. Because it often goes unnoticed, stopping the spread is harder. This makes vaccination an important tool.
Health experts are also warning about antibiotic resistance. Some types of gonorrhoea no longer respond to common treatments. Between January 2024 and March 2025, 17 cases in England did not respond to ceftriaxone, which is the main drug used today. Nine of those cases were resistant to even more drugs.
This new programme is seen as a big step forward. If enough people get the vaccine, it could help reduce the number of new infections. It could also slow the rise of drug-resistant strains. That would protect both individual health and public health in the long run.
The UK is the first country in the world to start a nationwide vaccine programme against gonorrhoea. Health officials hope other countries will follow if the rollout proves successful. The programme will begin on August 1, and invites will be sent to eligible patients soon.
