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Meningitis B vaccine to be introduced in Scotland

30th March 2015

Vaccine to be part of Scottish childhood immunisation programme.

All infants in Scotland are to be offered a vaccination against meningitis B through the NHS.

Scotland is now one of the few nations in the world to offer the vaccination which will prevent the life-threatening strain of meningitis to all infants.

The vaccine, called Bexsero, will be introduced to the immunisation programme for infants following negotiations on behalf of the Department of Health and the devolved government with manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline

Around 1,200 people, mainly babies and children, get meningitis caused by the meningococcal group B bacteria each year in the UK, with around one in 10 dying from the infection.

The vaccination will be given in three doses at two, four and 12 months, with all babies in Scotland aged two months at the point of introduction being eligible. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has also advised that when the programme starts there should be a one-off, catch-up programme for babies aged three and four months of age.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said:"The Scottish Government has been consistent in its support for the introduction of the Meningitis B vaccine, Bexsero. We will now work to roll out the vaccination programme as quickly as possible.

"The Meningitis B vaccine will now form part of the routine childhood immunisation programme in Scotland, underlining our commitment to ensuring the health and wellbeing of our children.

“Meningitis B is life-threatening and can affect people of any age, but is most common in babies and young children. By offering this vaccine as part of the routine programme we will be able prevent this and save lives. This disease can be devastating for children and their families and I'm very pleased we can now take the necessary steps to tackle its effects."