The NHS is rolling out nationwide vaccines for those affected by gonorrhoea, as part of a world-first programme. From Monday 4 August, sexual health clinics in England will start offering a free vaccine to patients at highest risk of the sexually transmitted infection (STI), which the NHS predicts will help prevent 100,000 cases, saving £7.9m over the next decade as a result.
Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection transmitted through unprotected sex, with symptoms including pain, unusual discharge, genital inflammation and infertility, though some people can carry the infection without any reactions. Doctors initially developed the vaccine, 4CMenB, for preventing meningitis B in babies, but it has since proved effective against gonorrhoea due to the similarities in the infections.
This vaccine roll-out follows England recording 85,000 cases of gonorrhoea in 2023, which is the highest in a single year since records began a century ago, and three times higher than in 2012. The programme is part of the government’s focus on averting pressure on the NHS by shifting from sickness to prevention.
‘Rolling out this world-leading gonorrhoea vaccination programme in sexual health clinics in England represents a major breakthrough in preventing an infection that has reached record levels,’ Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton, said. ‘This government’s world-first vaccination programme will help turn the tide on infections, as well as tackling head-on the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. I strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to come forward for vaccination, to protect not only yourselves but also your sexual partners.’
The NHS expects the 4CMenB vaccine to be available in sexual health clinics in every region in England by 4 September, 2025. Patients attending clinics for the gonorrhoea vaccine will also be offered mpox, hepatitis A and B and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations.
Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
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