England is set to become the first country to roll out a vaccine for gonorrhoea, marking a historic step in STI prevention. Launching this August, the NHS program will focus on people most at risk, especially gay and bisexual men with multiple partners or a history of infections. While the vaccine is about 30 to 40% effective, researchers estimate it could prevent up to 100,000 infections and save millions in healthcare costs over the next decade. Originally created to fight meningitis B, the vaccine offers unexpected protection thanks to the genetic similarities between the two bacteria.
Gonorrhoea often spreads silently and has become increasingly resistant to treatment, raising global concerns. That’s why health officials say this vaccine isn’t just timely—it’s critical. It will be offered alongside other sexual health vaccines like HPV and hepatitis, with flexibility for clinicians to extend access to others at risk. Though research is ongoing into how long protection lasts, experts are celebrating the rollout as a bold leap forward in protecting public health and fighting drug-resistant infections.