Women who received a HPV vaccination as young adolescents have almost zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30, new research has revealed.
The study, funded by Cancer Research UK and published on June 17, analysed cervical cancer mortality data for 2001 to 2024 among women in England aged 20 to 34.
It found that for vaccinated women aged 20 to 29, the relative risk reduction for death from cervical cancer was estimated to be 100%, falling to 63% for 30- to 34-year-olds.
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And for the first time in recorded history, there were “no deaths” from cervical cancer in women aged 20 to 24 between 2020 and 2024.
This is compared to the 23 expected deaths based on historical rates, researchers said.
They noted that this was “likely to be a chance finding corresponding to a very low underlying rate of cervical cancer mortality”, instead of “a true eradication of cervical cancer as a cause of death in young women”.
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But they added that the “substantial reductions” in deaths from cervical cancer in recent years are “consistent with perfect vaccination effectiveness against cervical cancer mortality in vaccinated women” - particularly those vaccinated between the ages of 12 and 13.
The study also found that to the end of 2024, HPV vaccination in England was associated with an almost 95% reduction in cervical cancer deaths.
The researchers said the findings “provide the first robust national-level evidence, albeit observational, that high HPV vaccination coverage is associated with a substantial reduction in cervical cancer deaths”.
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They added that the study “further supports the benefit of HPV vaccination in reducing not only the incidence of but also the mortality from a cancer that is globally still the second most common cause of cancer death in women younger than 65 years”.
“With falling HPV vaccine rates and growing vaccine hesitancy, it is important to demonstrate, as we have done here, that following the introduction of HPV vaccination with high population coverage, there is a considerable fall in cervical cancer mortality.”
“Incredible milestone”
Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell described the findings as “an incredible milestone” and “major progress in our mission to beat cancer”.
“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,” she added.
It comes after the Department of Health and Social Care (DH) revealed last year that pharmacies will “play a critical role” in delivering HPV vaccinations as part of the government’s 10-year health plan.
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The DH said that from 2026, “women and young people who missed out on the HPV vaccination at school will be able to have the vaccine administered at their local pharmacy”.
And it follows data from the UK Health Security Agency published in February showing that one in four school leavers in 2024/25 “did not receive their HPV vaccinations”.
The figures also indicated that “vaccination uptake numbers have not recovered from their pre-pandemic high of around 90%”.
