health
HPV jabs cut risk of dying from cervical cancer before 30 to almost zero
Study reveals positive news, but experts say deaths and cases may rise again as fewer teenagers get vaccinated
TL;DR
- HPV vaccination in early adolescence virtually eliminates the risk of dying from cervical cancer before age 30.
- The vaccine has significantly reduced cervical cancer mortality in those offered it since its introduction in 2008.
- No women aged 20-24 died from cervical cancer in England between 2020 and 2024.
- Falling HPV vaccination rates (currently 75% nationally) risk a reversal of these positive trends, potentially leading to 15-25 avoidable deaths annually.
- Increased vaccine uptake, combined with cervical screening, could drastically reduce cervical cancer rates and deaths.