HPV vaccine drives cervical cancer deaths to zero among young women in England

Deaths from cervical cancer among young women in England have fallen to zero following the introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme, according to a new study published in The Lancet.

According to a BBC report, researchers found that no women aged between 20 and 24 died from cervical cancer in England between 2020 and 2024 — the first five-year period on record without a single death in that age group.

The analysis, led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, estimated that around 23 deaths would have been expected during the period had the HPV vaccine not been introduced.

The study found that girls who received the vaccine at the age of 12 or 13 now face an almost zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before turning 30. Before the national vaccination programme began in 2008, around 20 women under 30 died from the disease each year.

"It's incredible to think that a single jab can almost eliminate a particular type of cancer," said Prof Peter Sasieni, the study's lead researcher and a cancer epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London.

Cervical cancer remains the 14th most common cancer among women in the UK, with around 3,300 new cases diagnosed annually. Researchers estimate that HPV — a virus transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact — is responsible for 99% of cases.

Although most HPV infections clear naturally, some can cause abnormal cell changes that may develop into cancer years later.

Researchers expect cervical cancer deaths to continue declining as more vaccinated generations reach adulthood.

Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, described the findings as an "incredible milestone" while warning that vaccination rates in England remain below recommended levels.

"We know the HPV vaccine is extremely effective at stopping cervical cancer before it starts, and for the first time, these findings show it is saving lives," said Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK.

However, the organisation cautioned that uptake remains below the 90% threshold recommended by the World Health Organization to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. Data from the UK Health Security Agency show that 76% of girls in England had received the vaccine by the age of 15 in 2024-25.

"It's essential that the UK Government and health systems urgently address this with targeted action to reach communities where uptake is the lowest," Mitchell added.

The UK government has pledged to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue by 2040.

Despite the success of the vaccination programme, health authorities continue to advise women aged 25 to 64 to attend regular cervical screening appointments.

Boys have also been offered the HPV vaccine in England since 2019, helping protect against anal, penile, throat and mouth cancers, while reducing transmission of the virus.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the findings demonstrated the "extraordinary impact of the HPV vaccination".

"We are boosting vaccine uptake so that more young people benefit from this life-saving protection - including rolling out catch-up HPV vaccination campaigns via community pharmacies," a department spokesperson said.

The department added that HPV self-testing kits are being distributed to women who have not attended routine screening appointments.

The study also highlighted the experience of Alexandra Legg, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2021 at the age of 30, shortly before her wedding.

"I remember hearing the words, and I just couldn't really breathe very well," she said. "I was so upset - everything went through my head, it was so hard."

Legg, who missed the rollout of the HPV vaccine by leaving school before the programme began, later gave birth to her daughter, Ivy.

"I'm a real advocate for this vaccine, and when Ivy is old enough, she'll be first in the queue," she said.