A Bright Milestone in Cancer Prevention

A groundbreaking study from Queen Mary University of London, published in The Lancet, is bringing deeply hopeful news: children who received the HPV vaccine at ages 12 to 13 now have almost no risk of dying from cervical cancer before turning 30.

By examining national vaccination and mortality records in England, researchers found a remarkable decline in cervical cancer deaths since school-age girls began being offered the vaccine in 2008. According to the findings, the vaccine has already helped save around 200 lives in England so far.
Source: BBC

One of the most uplifting findings covers the years 2020–2024: for the first time across a five-year period, England recorded zero cervical cancer deaths among women ages 20 to 24. Without vaccination, researchers estimate that around 23 deaths would have been expected.

BBC graphics based on data from Peter Sasieni and Milena Falcaro in The Lancet show the change clearly. Among women ages 20 to 24 in England, cervical cancer deaths fell from 25 in 2000–04, to 16 in 2005–09, to 27 in 2010–14, to 5 in 2015–19, and finally to 0 in 2020–24.
Graphic via BBC

Another BBC graphic, using Cancer Research UK data, shows a longer-term drop in cervical cancer mortality among women. The three-year rolling average of age-standardized mortality rates fell from nearly 10 deaths per 100,000 women in 1972 to about 2.5 by 2022 — a decrease of more than 70%.
Graphic via BBC

Why This Is Such Encouraging News

Cancer touches countless families. In the United States, about 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.
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That reality makes prevention especially powerful. The HPV vaccine is not a “cure for cancer,” but it is an extraordinary tool for stopping certain cancers before they have the chance to develop — including cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers.

When the HPV vaccine was introduced in the United States in 2006, it protected against four strains of the virus. In 2014, that protection expanded to nine strains, which are responsible for about 90% of HPV-causing cancers worldwide.
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As the vaccine reaches its 20th anniversary of FDA approval, health professionals across the United States are celebrating its lasting impact on women’s health and public health.

“The HPV vaccine was a groundbreaking discovery and invention — having a vaccine that prevents cancer is truly life-altering,” said Dr. Megan Yanny, a pediatrician at University of Wisconsin Health Kids and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

“Nationally, the incidence of HPV lesions, including precancerous cervical lesions detected through screening in young women, has decreased by nearly 80% since 2008, and mortality from HPV-related cancers has also dropped significantly.”

The Important Context

There is still work to do to make sure more young people benefit from this protection.

In January 2025, during his confirmation hearing to become Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declined to say that the HPV vaccine is safe. He had previously described the HPV vaccine as “dangerous and defective.”
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Those remarks conflict with the U.S. government’s public health goal of vaccinating 80% of adolescents against HPV by 2030 — a goal overseen by the department Kennedy was nominated to lead.

Meanwhile, countries including Australia and the United Kingdom have shown how successful HPV vaccination programs can be when they are widely supported and accessible.

How to Help More People Benefit

Clear, caring communication can make a real difference. An article in the Journal of Cancer Education says “ineffective messages and misinformation about the vaccine have negatively impacted its uptake in the U.S.”

Research suggests that conversations about the HPV vaccine are most helpful when they emphasize cancer prevention, treat the vaccine as a routine part of adolescent health care, and clearly explain the risks and costs of HPV.

For friends and families, one of the most positive and practical things to do is talk about the vaccine’s proven ability to prevent cancer. Americans can also contact elected officials and encourage them to support policies that help the United States reach its HPV vaccination goals.