A landmark study published in the medical journal The Lancet has found that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has reduced the risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30 in England to nearly zero, providing the strongest evidence yet that the immunisation programme is saving lives.
The study revealed that no women aged between 20 and 24 died from cervical cancer in England between 2020 and 2024, marking the first time no deaths have been recorded in that age group. Researchers estimate that the vaccine has prevented nearly 200 cervical cancer deaths among young women since its introduction.
The findings, based on nationwide mortality data, also showed an 80 per cent reduction in cervical cancer deaths among women aged 20 to 24 between 2015 and 2019 compared with earlier periods.
According to the researchers from Queen Mary University of London, the results reflect the long-term impact of the HPV vaccination programme introduced for children aged 12 and 13 across the United Kingdom.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally, with certain strains linked to cervical, vulvar, vaginal and several other cancers.
Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said the findings bring the prospect of eliminating cervical cancer closer to reality.
“Thanks to HPV vaccination and cervical screening, a future where almost nobody gets cervical cancer is now firmly in sight,” she said.
Cancer Research UK noted that while previous studies had demonstrated the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing HPV infections, precancerous cell changes and cervical cancer cases, this is the first national study to directly show its impact on reducing cervical cancer deaths.
The research comes more than two decades after HPV vaccination programmes were first introduced. Australia became the first country in 2007 to implement a publicly funded school-based HPV vaccination programme targeting adolescent girls, while the World Health Organization launched a global strategy in 2020 aimed at eliminating cervical cancer.
Lead author Peter Sasieni, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, said the findings represent a major milestone in cancer prevention.
“This is the first study to highlight the impact of HPV vaccinations on cervical cancer mortality,” he said.
“We estimate that since its introduction, HPV vaccination has prevented nearly 200 young women from dying from cervical cancer in England. As vaccinated generations grow older, we expect many more lives to be saved.”
The study found that girls vaccinated at ages 12 and 13, when the vaccine is most effective, now face an almost negligible risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30. Vaccination coverage among the cohort examined was close to 90 per cent.
However, Mitchell warned that declining vaccination uptake in recent years could threaten the progress achieved. Current data indicate that between 76 and 86 per cent of girls in the UK receive the vaccine by age 15, below the 90 per cent target recommended by the WHO.
She called on the UK government and health authorities to strengthen efforts to reach communities with lower vaccination rates in order to sustain gains made in the fight against cervical cancer.
