Meningitis UK has appointed London-based public affairs agency Tetra Strategy.
The charity is looking to build a case for the adoption of Novartis’ meningitis B vaccine Bexsero by the NHS.
The drug was recently given a green light from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which made it the first meningococcal group B vaccine licenced to protect all age groups, including infants aged over two months, in the EU.
Meningitis UK, which funds vaccine development, has engaged the agency ahead of a decision on whether to include Bexsero on the NHS’s childhood immunisation programme.
This will be decided by the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations, which plans to meet in June to discuss the vaccine.
Meningitis B infections are the most common form of bacterial meningitis in industrialised countries and currently carry a death rate of around 10 per cent.
“This meningitis B vaccine is the most important medical breakthrough in the 30 years since I lost my son to the disease,” said Meningitis UK founder Steve Dayman.
“The vaccine must be made widely available through the immunisation schedule as soon as possible – any delay could mean lives lost,” he added.