UK MenB vaccine program faces efficacy doubts as study finds no protection against gonorrhoea

The United Kingdom is rolling out a one‑off MenB (meningococcal group B) vaccination programme for under‑25s, including Year 13 students and first‑year university attendees. The programme, launched in July 2026, offers two doses spaced at least 28 days apart, with protection lasting at least five years. Eligibility covers English and Welsh students born from 21 July 2001 onward, as well as international students under 25 entering their first university year.

A separate clinical trial conducted in Australia and published in the New England Journal of Medicine examined whether the same MenB vaccine also prevents gonorrhoea. The double‑blind, placebo‑controlled study followed 587 men, half receiving MenB and half a placebo, over two years. Infection rates were virtually identical—291 cases in the vaccinated group versus 285 in the placebo group—indicating no significant protective effect against gonorrhoea. The UK Health Security Agency said it will not alter the current vaccination policy pending further data, noting that over 30,000 people in England have already begun the course and that robust data on vaccine impact will be published later.