For a long time, cervical cancer has been one of the most common cancers among young women. Today, England provides particularly encouraging evidence of the effectiveness of vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV).
According to a study published on June 19, 2026 in the prestigious journal The Lancetno deaths linked to this cancer were recorded among women aged 20 to 24 between 2020 and 2024.
No deaths from cervical cancer among young women in England
To reach this conclusion, researchers from Queen Mary University of London analyzed all national mortality data between 2001 and 2024.
The finding is striking: between 2020 and 2024, no deaths due to cervical cancer have been recorded among young women aged 20 to 24. Scientists estimate that in the absence of vaccination, around 23 deaths should have been observed over this period.
The study also shows that between 2015 and 2019, mortality in this same age group had already fallen by 80%.
“We know that the HPV vaccine is extremely effective at stopping cervical cancer before it develops and, for the first time, these results show that it saves lives,” underlines Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK.
According to researchers, almost 200 deaths have been avoided since the introduction of the HPV vaccine in England.
A vaccine that saves lives
The explanation lies in a prevention strategy put in place very early. The HPV vaccine was introduced for British girls in 2008, then extended to boys in 2019.
The young women involved in the study had been vaccinated between 12 and 13 years old, the age when protection is most effective, before any exposure to the virus.
Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. Certain so-called “high-risk” strains are responsible for 99.7% of cervical cancers. They can also cause cancers of the vulva, vagina, anus or even the ENT area.
However, in the cohort studied, around 90% of adolescents had received the vaccine.
Result: researchers now observe “an almost zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30” in young women vaccinated at 12-13 years old.
For Professor Peter Sasieni, lead author of the study, these results represent only the beginning:
“We estimate that since its introduction, HPV vaccination has prevented the deaths of almost 200 young women from cervical cancer in England. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. As the vaccinated generations age, we will see many more lives saved.”
Australia and Denmark already aiming to eliminate cervical cancer
England is not the only country to achieve spectacular results. Australia was a pioneer by becoming the first country in the world in 2007 to implement a free national HPV vaccination program in schools. Thanks to high vaccination coverage and effective screening, the country is regularly cited as the leading candidate for the elimination of cervical cancer in the coming decades.
Same ambition in Denmark. Since the introduction of the free vaccine in 2009, more than 90% of adolescent girls aged 12 to 13 have been vaccinated. The country is already seeing a rapid reduction in precancerous lesions and now plans to eradicate this cancer by 2040.
These examples illustrate the strategy defended by the World Health Organization, which launched in 2020 a global plan aimed at eliminating cervical cancer as a major public health problem.
HPV vaccination: Where is France?
In France, the situation is progressing, but remains behind compared to the most advanced countries. Each year, human papillomaviruses are responsible for more than 6,000 to 7,000 cancers in France. Cervical cancer represents approximately 40% of these cases, but HPV is also involved in cancers of the anus, vulva, vagina, penis and ENT sphere.
Vaccination is recommended for all girls and boys aged 11 to 14 and can be carried out as a catch-up up to 26 years of age.
Long insufficient, vaccination coverage is progressing today thanks to the campaign carried out directly in colleges. But it’s not yet up to par…
According to the latest report from Public Health France, more than 116,000 students received at least one dose of vaccine during the 2024-2025 school year. Among adolescents born in 2012 affiliated to the general scheme, coverage now reaches 54% for girls and 43% for boys for a first dose.
An encouraging progression… but still far from the 90% objective set by the World Health Organization.
“Vaccinating today means avoiding cancer tomorrow”
To accelerate this dynamic, several awareness campaigns have been launched in recent months. In particular, the Curie Institute unveiled the “All protected against HPV” campaign in the spring, intended to combat preconceived ideas surrounding this vaccine.
“HPV vaccination is one of the most powerful weapons we have to prevent certain cancers. Too many misconceptions still circulate about this vaccine. Because vaccinating a teenager against HPV today means preventing them from getting cancer tomorrow,” the Institute then recalled.
The results observed in England today show that this promise is no longer just theoretical. For the first time, a nationwide study shows that HPV vaccination doesn’t just prevent infections or precancerous lesions: it saves lives.