In an example of a growing trend of using off-label medications to protect their sexual health, some gay and bisexual men in Canada claim that taking a meningitis vaccine can prevent gonorrhea, but doctors caution the research is still in its infancy.
The vaccine, called Bexsero, was approved by Health Canada in 2013 for protection against meningitis B, which can cause serious, life-threatening infections such as meningitis (infection in the lining of the brain and spinal cord) and sepsis (blood poisoning).
Although the use of the Bexsero vaccine to prevent gonorrhea is relatively new, it’s hardly the first time gay, bisexual, and transgender men in Canada have resorted to off-label medications to protect their sexual health.
Jody Jollimore, an advocate for gay men’s health and the executive director of the Community-Based Research Centre in Vancouver, said the interest in the Bexsero vaccine is part of a growing trend in the gay and queer community to find their own health solutions.
“It really speaks to the resolve, and the determination to prevent STIs and prevent HIV and really have better sexual health as a community,” he told CTVNews.ca during a telephone interview from Halifax last week.
This article was written by Jackie Dunham and originally posted on CTV News. Please click HERE to read the full article.
