The Love Tank responds to Gonorrhoea Vaccine Programme launch

The Love Tank salutes today’s announcement of a national Gonorrhoea vaccination programme being rolled out by the NHS.

NHS sexual health clinics will start to offer vaccinations from 4 August 2025 with full rollout of the programme expected by 1 September. The Love Tank pledges to work alongside NHS services, local authorities, and community partners to ensure the vaccine is offered to those who most need it.

In August 2024, The Love Tank launched its Gonorrhoea vaccine information portal, along with a call for the Department of Health and Social Care to implement the recommendations of the Joint Scientific Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). In November 2023, the JCVI recommended the use of the vaccine to people most likely to get an STI (especially gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men).

Dr Ben Weil, Head of Research and Community Knowledge Generation at The Love Tank says: 

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of partnership work and evidence building that The Love Tank has been part of for several years. This has included involvement in UKHSA’s STI prioritisation working group, generating information and evidence to support the vaccination programme, and building community knowledge in advance of the vaccination programme launch.”

Dr Will Nutland, Director of The Love Tank says: 

“Today’s announcement, along with the announcement of routine targeted mpox vaccination, is a welcome and much needed investment in sexual health. We must now ensure that further resources are employed so that both vaccines reach those who need them but are least likely to visit sexual health services”.

For more, visit queerhealth.info/menb