Gonorrhoea vaccine could protect thousands, says minister ahead of rollout

A new vaccine against the sexually transmitted infection (STI) gonorrhoea could protect thousands of people and help reduce spread of the disease, the public health minister has said.

The Scottish Government is funding a vaccination programme to begin in August in a bid to halt rising numbers of cases.

Gonorrhoea – a potentially painful infection which can be life-threatening in rare cases – is the second most common bacterial STI in Scotland.

Figures show cases have risen in recent years, with 5,999 infections in 2023 – a rise of 59% from before the Covid pandemic.

Those eligible for the vaccine will include gay and bisexual men at highest risk of infection, as well those involved in selling or exchanging sex, regardless of their gender.

Public health minister Jenni Minto said the vaccination campaign is “urgent and timely since the number of diagnoses has been high and the disease is becoming increasingly difficult to treat with antibiotics”.

She added: “The science tells us that this vaccine will potentially protect thousands of people and prevent the spread of infection.

“Anything which stops people from contracting gonorrhoea in the first place can have huge benefits, including ensuring our health system remains resilient by reducing the amount of treatment needed.”

Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, head of the vaccination and immunisation division at Public Health Scotland, said: “With gonorrhoea diagnoses having increased in recent years, the offer of the 4CmenB vaccine to those at highest risk of exposure is a welcome new intervention.

“This vaccination programme is expected to help control and prevent the spread of gonorrhoea.

“Public Health Scotland is working with the Scottish Government and colleagues across NHS boards to finalise plans for the rollout of this targeted vaccination, offering to those at increased risk of gonorrhoea from August 2025.”