3 minutes read3 minutes readIn a world first, England will be the first country in the world to vaccinate people for Gonorrhoea, one of the most common STIs in the world.
In a statement released on 21 May 2025, the NHS predicted that thousands of cases could be prevented over the next decade, saving millions of pounds in care costs.
Launching in August 2025, the vaccination program with focus on those who are most at risk. The vaccine will be delivered through sexual health clinics.
Eligible people will also be offered Mpox, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and HPV vaccines when getting their Gonorrhoea vaccine.
What is Gonorrhoea?
Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that spreads from person to person through unprotected sex, like through vaginal sex, anal sex, and oral sex. You can even get it by sharing sex toys with an infected person.
Many Gonorrhoea infections go undetected, as most people who have it do not experience any symptoms. However, when symptoms do appear, they may include:
- Pain during sex
- Burning during urination
- Painful bowel movements
- Sore throat
- Conjunctivitis
- In women: yellowish discharge from the vagina and unusual vaginal bleeding
- In men: painful or swollen testicles and/or unusual white, yellow or green discharge from the penis
Most cases of gonorrhoea can be cured with antibiotics. However, if left untreated, it can lead to serious health consequences.
Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, which may cause infertility and ectopic pregnancies. Pregnant women with Gonorrhoea may experience higher rates of miscarriage and preterm births. Infected women who give birth may transmit the infection to their child, potentially resulting in eye infections and blindness.
Men with untreated Gonorrhoea are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
Having a Gonorrhoea infection can also make it more likely you’ll get another STI, like HIV.
Why did they make a vaccine?
While most Gonorrhoea infections can be cured with antibiotics, health authorities worldwide have noted a rise in antibiotic-resistant strains. By reducing the incidence of Gonorrhoea infections, the vaccine could help curb the spread of resistant strains and decrease the number that develop resistance.
Who can get it?
The initial rollout of the vaccine will target people at the highest risk. This will include gay and bisexual men who have a recent history of multiple sexual partners or STIs. This group accounted for half of all cases of Gonorrhoea in England in 2023. Eligibility may be expanded in the future based on the program’s success.
Should I still get tested?
Despite the rollout of this vaccine, testing remains vital to maintaining personal and public health.
The vaccine being offered wasn’t initially designed for Gonorrhoea. It was made for meningitis B. But the two infections are so closely linked that MenB jabs appear to cut Gonorrhoea cases by about a third.
This means the vaccine won’t eliminate your risk of getting Gonorrhoea. Trials of the vaccine showed that it was around 30% effective at preventing initial infections.
This means that many sexually active people are still at risk of Gonorrhoea. Testing remains the most effective way to identify and treat the infection.
Final thoughts
If you think you may have been exposed to Gonorrhoea, you should get tested. Click the button below to create an online booking for an STI test near you.
You can also call the number at the top of this page to speak to a trained Sexual Health Advisor. They can talk to you about your situation and offer advice and guidance about the best course of action.
