A MASS vaccination program against deadly meningococcal disease has been branded irresponsible by a pro-choice vaccination lobbyist.

The $41 million scheme was approved yesterday by the Federal Government and will begin early next year.

Health Minister Kay Patterson said high-risk babies and teenagers would be targeted by the program, which will vaccinate against the meningococcal C strain.

But Australian Vaccination Network (AVN) president Meryl Dorey said today the vaccine had never been tested for effectiveness.

AVN is a lobby group dedicated to ensuring parents have the right to choose whether or not to vaccinate their children.

Ms Dorey said the vaccine was the subject of an inquiry in the UK.

"When it was introduced in the United Kingdom they had so many adverse reactions reported that they've actually had a government inquiry into this," she told Channel Seven's Sunrise program.

"To introduce this vaccine while there is an inquiry on-going overseas, while there have been this huge number of reactions reported is irresponsible and does not mean that the Government is performing its duty of care."

So far this year, more than 20 Australians have died from the killer bug.

AAP