Meningitis vaccination study update

Be on the TEAM: ‘Teenagers Against Meningitis’ research study.

Covid-19 Update: Stopping of this research

Many of our students have taken part in this study about MenB immunisation. The aim of this study is to determine if immunising teenagers with a MenB vaccine would reduce the risk of themselves and others getting meningitis across the whole community.

In light of the disruption to the study during ‘lockdown’ in March and April of 2020 and the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the study team regretfully decided to bring the study to an early close, and no further visits will take place. This decision has been taken in consultation with the study funder, the study sponsor (the University of Oxford) and the study scientific advisory board, and reflects concerns about the feasibility and safety to staff and students of undertaking study visits in the coming months.

Importantly, with the data already collected the study team anticipate that they will still be able to determine whether immunising with group B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines reduces the carriage of this bacteria in the throat of teenagers.

The study team are aware that some students who took part in this study will not have received, or completed, the two-dose course of MenB vaccines given as part of this study. This vaccine is not part of the routine immunisation schedule for teenagers in the UK, so no student has been disadvantaged by taking part in the study.

The study team wish to thank all those who have participated in the study.

Please visit the study website for further information at https://beontheteam.web.ox.ac.uk/home