Meningitis B vaccine could save thousands

A meningitis B vaccine that could save thousands of lives has been licensed for the first time, in a move hailed as the most important breakthrough in 30 years.

The vaccine will initially be available privately and government advisers are deciding if it should be introduced into the free NHS childhood vaccination programme.

The jab, called Bexsero, has been licensed for use in babies from the age of two months and offers protection against the majority of meningitis B strains that occur in Britain.

Up to 2,000 people are infected with meningitis B each year in the UK and one in ten will die, despite prompt medical treatment.

A further one in four will suffer lifelong disability as a result of the brain disease.

Meningitis is commonly cited as the most feared disease by parents because it strikes otherwise healthy children who can deteriorate and die within hours.

Campaigners urged the Government to introduce the vaccine routinely as soon as possible after previous jabs took five years from licensing to reach the general population. Steve Dayman, founder of the charity, Meningitis UK, said cost should not be a barrier. He added: "This ground-breaking vaccine is the most important development since I lost my son to meningitis 30 years ago.

"The Government must introduce the Meningitis B vaccine into the immunisation schedule as soon as possible - it will save thousands of lives and spare families so much suffering."

The Health Protection Agency estimates that since 2000, the Men C vaccination has prevented more than 9,000 cases of serious disease and more than 1,000 deaths.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the Government and whose recommendations are binding, is investigating the price, cost-effectiveness and dosing of the vaccine, which has been licensed by the European Commission, before deciding if it should be offered on the NHS.



The vaccine will initially be available privately and government advisers are deciding if it should be introduced into the free NHS childhood vaccination programme.

The jab, called Bexsero, has been licensed for use in babies from the age of two months and offers protection against the majority of meningitis B strains that occur in Britain.

Up to 2,000 people are infected with meningitis B each year in the UK and one in ten will die, despite prompt medical treatment.

A further one in four will suffer lifelong disability as a result of the brain disease.

Meningitis is commonly cited as the most feared disease by parents because it strikes otherwise healthy children who can deteriorate and die within hours.

Campaigners urged the Government to introduce the vaccine routinely as soon as possible after previous jabs took five years from licensing to reach the general population. Steve Dayman, founder of the charity, Meningitis UK, said cost should not be a barrier. He added: "This ground-breaking vaccine is the most important development since I lost my son to meningitis 30 years ago.

"The Government must introduce the Meningitis B vaccine into the immunisation schedule as soon as possible - it will save thousands of lives and spare families so much suffering."

The Health Protection Agency estimates that since 2000, the Men C vaccination has prevented more than 9,000 cases of serious disease and more than 1,000 deaths.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the Government and whose recommendations are binding, is investigating the price, cost-effectiveness and dosing of the vaccine, which has been licensed by the European Commission, before deciding if it should be offered on the NHS.