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A vaccine designed to prevent cervical cancer has helped save an estimated 200 lives in England, according to a new analysis published in The Lancet.
The study provides the clearest evidence yet that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme, introduced for school-age girls in 2008, has significantly reduced deaths from cervical cancer.
Researchers found that between 2020 and 2024, there were no recorded cervical cancer deaths among women aged 20 to 24 in England. Without vaccination, modelling suggests around 23 deaths would have been expected in that group.
Professor Peter Sasieni of Queen Mary University of London, who led the research, described the outcome as striking.
“It’s incredible to think that a single jab can almost eliminate a particular type of cancer,” he said.
The findings also show that women vaccinated at age 12 or 13 now face close to zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before 30. Prior to the vaccination programme, the UK recorded around 20 deaths annually in that age group.
Despite this progress, cervical cancer remains a significant public health issue. It is currently the 14th most common cancer among women in the UK, with roughly 3,300 new diagnoses each year.
HPV is responsible for about 99% of cases, spreading mainly through close skin-to-skin contact. While many infections clear naturally, some lead to long-term cellular changes that develop into cancer.
Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, called the results an “incredible milestone,” while warning that vaccination coverage is still below the level needed for elimination.
Chief executive Michelle Mitchell noted that HPV vaccination is “extremely effective at stopping cervical cancer before it starts,” adding that the findings show it is now saving lives in measurable terms.
Coverage in England stood at 76% of girls vaccinated by age 15 in 2024–25, below the World Health Organization’s 90% target.
The UK government says it is expanding vaccination and screening programmes, including catch-up campaigns and HPV self-testing kits, as part of its goal to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2040.
