HPV vaccine brings cervical cancer deaths close to zero

Young women vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) at age 12–13 now have a close to zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30 in the United Kingdom, highlighting the life-saving impact of routine vaccination.

“It’s incredible to think that a single jab can almost eliminate a particular type of cancer,” said Professor Peter Sasieni, lead researcher at Queen Mary University of London.

The findings show that around 200 lives have already been saved in England since the HPV vaccination programme began in 2008. Between 2020 and 2024, no cervical cancer deaths were recorded among women aged 20 to 24, compared with an estimated 23 that would have been expected without vaccination. HPV is linked to 99% of cervical cancer cases, and health experts expect deaths to continue falling as vaccinated generations grow older. The UK aims to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2040, while vaccination and cervical screening programmes continue to protect future generations.