A vaccine to protect babies against meningitis B could soon be available for free on the NHS, the government has announced today (March 21).

The Department of Health (DH) said it was working to introduce the meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero into the UK national immunisation programme as quickly as possible, following a recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The JCVI stressed that the burden and severity of invasive meningitis B disease in the UK made the need to explore the potential for immunisation "of vital importance" and recommended the vaccine be administered at two, four and 12 months of age, in a position statement released today.

The UK has one of the highest incidence rates for invasive meningococcal disease in the EU, with babies under one year most at risk	More on vaccination programmes Managing community-acquired pneumonia Councillors back London pharmacies' flu vaccination services Module 208 – Childhood illnesses
	The DH's deputy chief medical officer John Watson said the UK had one of the highest incidence rates for invasive meningococcal disease in the European Union. Babies under one year were most at risk, with the number of cases peaking at five or six months old, he said.

The DH would be working with Bexsero manufacturer Novartis in the coming months to ensure it was available at a cost-effective price. If negotiations were successful, the DH would look to roll out the programme, which would be the first in the world, Professor Watson said.

Royal College of General Practitioners' chair Dr Maureen Baker said the vaccine had the potential to save thousands of lives and that GPs would play a major role in ensuring a successful rollout.

The JCVI also recommended a one-off ‘catch-up programme' be extended to immunise three and four month-olds with the vaccine when it was introduced.

Meningitis B was fatal in one in 10 cases and a tenth of survivors suffered long-term health problems including limb amputation, deafness, epilepsy and learning difficulties. There were 33 deaths from invasive meningitis B disease in 2011 to 2012 in the UK, according to the JCVI, with 613 confirmed laboratory cases.

The European Medicines Agency licensed Bexsero in January 2013.

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