A major study has found that girls vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) at ages 12 to 13 now face an extremely low risk of dying from cervical cancer before age 30. The research, led by Queen Mary University of London and published in The Lancet, is the first to measure the vaccine’s impact on cervical cancer deaths in England.
The HPV vaccination programme began for school-age girls in 2008. Researchers estimate it has prevented around 200 deaths in England so far. Between 2020 and 2024, no cervical cancer deaths were recorded among women aged 20 to 24, a first for any five-year period. Without vaccination, about 23 deaths would have been expected in that group.
HPV is transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact and is linked to about 99% of cervical cancer cases. While most infections clear naturally, some can cause cell changes that lead to cancer years later. Cervical cancer remains the 14th most common cancer among females in the UK, with roughly 3,300 diagnoses annually.
Researchers and charities say the decline in deaths is likely to grow as vaccinated cohorts age. Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said the findings show the vaccine is saving lives, while also noting that uptake remains below target levels. In England, 76% of girls had received the vaccine by age 15 in 2024-25, compared with the 90% coverage the World Health Organization associates with eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem.
Health officials are encouraging young people who missed vaccination to come forward. Boys have also been offered the HPV vaccine since 2019, reducing risks of several HPV-related cancers and transmission. Women aged 25 to 64 are still advised to attend cervical screening. The UK government says it is expanding catch-up vaccination and self-testing efforts to improve access and early detection.