New research has revealed a landmark achievement in public health, indicating that young women who received the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at ages 12-13 now have a close to zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before reaching 30. The study, the first of its kind, highlights a significant reduction in deaths since the vaccine was offered to school-age girls in England from 2008, with around 200 lives estimated to have been saved.
A particularly striking finding shows that for the first time over a five-year period, between 2020 and 2024, no cervical cancer deaths were recorded among women aged 20 to 24. This contrasts sharply with an expected 23 deaths had the vaccination programme not been in place. Professor Peter Sasieni, lead researcher at Queen Mary University of London, described the achievement as “incredible,” noting that a single jab could almost eliminate a specific type of cancer. HPV is responsible for approximately 99% of cervical cancer cases, which remains the 14th most common cancer among females in the UK, with around 3,300 diagnoses annually.
The positive impact of the vaccine is expected to grow further as vaccinated generations age, leading to a continued decline in mortality rates from the disease. Cancer Research UK, which funded the research, lauded the findings as an “incredible milestone.” However, the organisation also issued a warning regarding current vaccination uptake levels in England, which are falling short of recommended targets.
Latest data from the UK Health Security Agency indicates that 76% of girls in England were vaccinated by the age of 15 in 2024-25. This figure is considerably lower than the 90% vaccination rate that the World Health Organization (WHO) deems necessary to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. The UK government has set an ambitious target to achieve this elimination by 2040, but this goal may be jeopardised if uptake rates do not improve.
Organisations like Cancer Research UK are calling for urgent, targeted action from the UK Government and health systems to address communities where vaccination uptake is lowest. Dr Sharif Ismail from the UK Health Security Agency encouraged young people who may have missed their vaccination to come forward. It is also crucial to remember that despite the success of the HPV vaccine, cervical screening (formerly known as a smear test) remains vital. Women aged 25 to 64 are still advised to attend their regular screening appointments, as it helps detect abnormal cell changes that could lead to cancer, even in vaccinated individuals.
Source: Queen Mary University of London, Cancer Research UK, UK Health Security Agency