A vaccine to protect against a lethal form of meningitis should not be introduced because it is not cost-effective, government advisers have said.
According to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the only vaccine to protect against meningitis B should not yet be adopted by the NHS.
A blow for those campaigning against the disease, the committee concluded routine immunisation "is highly unlikely to be cost effective at any vaccine price based on the accepted threshold for cost effectiveness used in the UK".
Children under the age of five are most at risk from the bacterial infection, which causes the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed.
Some 10 per cent of victims die and a third of survivors are left with long-term after-effects, such as brain damage or limb loss, the Meningitis Trust says.
In recent years there has been an annual average of 1,870 cases of MenB in the UK.
The vaccine, developed by Novartis, is the only one thought to protect against meningitis B.
It is believed to be effective against 73 per cent of the different strains of the disease. But there is limited evidence on how it would affect the number of cases, as no country has yet adopted the vaccine.
The JCVI concluded the vaccine, which has taken 20 years to develop and was licensed throughout Europe in January, did not meet the economic criteria at any level.
It said there was insufficient evidence the vaccine would work well enough to justify its introduction.
Sue Davie, chief executive of the Stroud-based Meningitis Trust and Meningitis UK, said: "This is extremely disappointing news after all our supporters and our hard work over decades to introduce a vaccine.
"We understand the committee's concerns about impact and cost, but we believe this vaccine is safe and we know it will save lives. The more we delay the more lives are being lost."
Prof David Salisbury, the director of immunisation at the Department of Health, told the national media: "This is a very difficult situation where we have a new vaccine against meningitis B but we lack important evidence.
"We need to know how well it will protect, how long it will protect and if it will stop the bacteria from spreading from person to person.
"We need to work with the scientific community and the manufacturer to find ways to resolve these uncertainties so that we can come to a clear answer." Symptoms of meningitis
Symptoms of meningitis can appear in any order and at the same time, while some may not appear at all.
But the signals to look out for in a child are:
- a very high fever with cold hands and feet
- feeling agitated but perhaps not wanting to be touched
- continuous crying
- becoming very sleepy and difficult to wake up
- becoming confused and unresponsive
- a blotchy red rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it
The NHS says the symptoms in older children and adults can include:
- severe headache
- vomiting
- high temperature (fever) of 38ºC (100.4ºF) or over
- stiff neck
- sensitivity to light
- rapid breathing
- a general feeling of being unwell
- a distinctive skin rash (although not everyone will have this)
Seek medical help immediately if you notice any of the symptoms of meningitis, particularly in young children. Trust your instincts. To find out more about meningitis, visit www.meningitis-trust.org.
