The Meningitis B vaccine, which the NHS began offering to men who have sex with men last year in hopes of also fending off gonorrhoea, has been found ineffective for that purpose, according to a major new study.

The trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and conducted by the University of New South Wales, tracked 587 men over two years. Half got the vaccine, half got a placebo. The result? Almost identical infection rates: 291 in the vaccine group versus 285 in the placebo group. So much for that 38% reduction suggested by earlier studies.

The UK Health Security Agency, however, is not rushing to change course. Dr Mary Ramsay, director of public health programmes at UKHSA, said more than 30,000 people in England have already started the vaccine course, and that data will provide 'more robust evidence' - presumably the kind that doesn't get contradicted by the next big study.

Gonorrhoea cases remain at record highs compared to a decade ago. In England, they peaked at 82,592 in 2022, dropping to 63,943 in 2025 - still double 2015 levels. Men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Dr Odile Harrison of Oxford University called the results 'disappointing' but not the end of the road. 'Gonorrhoea remains a major global public health threat, particularly with antimicrobial resistance,' she said.

Taku Mukiwa of the Terrence Higgins Trust was blunter: 'If the evidence has changed, the approach has to change too.' He reminded everyone that condoms and regular testing remain the real MVPs in STI prevention.