An independent expert committee on Thursday recommended that Britain introduce routine meningococcal B immunisation for 15 year-olds, a reversal of its earlier guidance prompted by a major outbreak of the disease in March.
Health officials said the government will review the committee's advice and decide whether to alter national vaccination programmes. The suggestion follows an outbreak in Kent, southeast England, in March during which two people died. Authorities characterised the incident as the largest and fastest-growing MenB outbreak ever recorded in Britain.
Currently, Britain does not include meningitis B vaccination as a routine offer to adolescents, reflecting similar practices in many other countries. The MenB vaccine has been offered to infants in Britain since 2015.
Prompted by the March cluster, the independent scientific committee re-examined vaccination plans and concluded that routine vaccination of teenagers around age 15 would be appropriate. The committee's updated advice reflects a review of new evidence on the vaccine's effectiveness, remaining uncertainty about future disease levels, recent outbreaks and findings from cost-effectiveness analysis.
In its assessment, the panel said the MenB vaccine administered to infants demonstrates high effectiveness. The committee added that vaccinating adolescents at about 15 years of age would deliver protection during the years when they face elevated risk from the disease.
The recommendation represents a change in the committee's prior position and will now be subject to government consideration. Officials will need to weigh the scientific advice, the committee's evaluation of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, and the uncertain trajectory of future MenB cases before making any policy adjustments.
Until a decision is reached, the current practice of offering MenB immunisation to babies but not routinely to teenagers remains in place.
Clear summary
An expert committee has recommended routine MenB vaccination for all 15 year-olds in Britain following a large and fast-growing outbreak in March that resulted in two deaths. The government will review the advice before deciding whether to change national vaccination policy. Britain currently offers the MenB vaccine to infants but not routinely to adolescents.