Australian Trial Finds MenB Vaccine Fails to Prevent Gonorrhoea in 587 Men

Q: A key trial proved the gonorrhoea vaccine ineffective. Why is the UK still using it?

The UK is still using the MenB vaccine because officials do not see one Australian trial as enough, on its own, to overturn the broader evidence that led to the programme. The vaccine being used is not a dedicated gonorrhoea shot but the 4CMenB meningitis B vaccine, offered off-label because the meningococcus and gonorrhoea bacteria are closely related. Earlier observational studies in several countries suggested it cut gonorrhoea risk by roughly a third to nearly a half, and a 2024 meta-analysis found protection in that range. That evidence, along with modelling that suggested even modest protection could reduce transmission in high-risk groups and be cost-effective, underpinned the UK rollout to gay and bisexual men at higher risk. UK health officials also argue the new GoGoVax trial has limits. It followed 587 men, far fewer than the more than 30,000 people being tracked in England. Most participants had already had gonorrhoea, which researchers said may affect how well any vaccine works, and the findings may not fully generalise to other settings. UKHSA says its own real-world data will be more robust and is due later in 2026 and 2027. There is also a practical reason not to rush. The vaccine is already licensed and safe for meningitis B, and gonorrhoea remains a serious public health threat because of high case numbers and rising antibiotic resistance. For now, the UK is keeping the programme under review rather than stopping it immediately.

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 8

A two-year GoGoVax trial in Australia found no meaningful protection against gonorrhoea from the MenB vaccine, with 291 new infections in vaccinated men versus 285 in the placebo group.
The New England Journal of Medicine study by Griffith University and the Kirby Institute challenges earlier research that had suggested the 4CMenB shot could cut infections by about 38% in at-risk men.
UKHSA said it is not changing policy for now, arguing data from more than 30,000 people in England who have started the vaccine course should give a more robust measure of real-world impact.
The findings land as gonorrhoea remains a major public health concern: England recorded 63,943 cases in 2025 after a 2022 peak of 82,592, with gay and bisexual men disproportionately affected and antibiotic resistance still rising.