Gonorrhoea Survivor Advocates for Vaccine to Protect Sexual Partners

As of August 4th, 2025, a 63-year-old man from East Scotland, named Matthew, is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to receive a new gonorrhoea vaccine. Matthew was diagnosed with the sexually transmitted infection 10 years ago and subsequently developed a condition called reactive arthritis, which caused extreme joint pain and lasting damage to his fingers and toes.

The experience has left Matthew in a constant state of fear and anxiety about the prospect of becoming reinfected. He says he now finds himself "constantly looking for symptoms" and feeling similar to how he did in the 1980s when he was "constantly fretting about HIV." This mental burden has taken a significant toll on his wellbeing.

However, Matthew has found some relief in recent years, stating that he has been "able to get on with [his] day" and that the condition has become "much more manageable" through regular testing and a heightened awareness of his body's signals. Now, he is hopeful that the new gonorrhoea vaccine will provide an additional layer of protection, not just for himself, but for his sexual partners as well.

As the chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, a leading sexual health charity, Richard Angell has described the vaccine as a "remarkable addition to our toolkit on sexual health." Similarly, Dr. Amanda Doyle, the NHS national director for primary care and community services, has emphasized the importance of "everyone eligible" taking advantage of the vaccine through their local sexual health clinics in order to "keep each other safe."