HPV Vaccine Cuts Cervical Cancer Deaths Sharply in England, Study Shows

A study published in June 2026 found that England's school-based HPV vaccination program has produced major reductions in cervical cancer deaths. Women who received the vaccine at ages 12 to 13 showed the strongest benefits, with researchers reporting extremely low cervical cancer mortality in that group.

England introduced its national HPV vaccination program in 2008, offering the vaccine to girls in secondary school. The program later expanded to include boys. The June 2026 study tracked outcomes for women who went through the program in its early years and are now in their late 20s and early 30s.

Cervical cancer is caused almost entirely by the human papillomavirus. The HPV vaccine protects against the strains of the virus most likely to cause cancer. Researchers said the data from England provides some of the clearest real-world evidence yet of the vaccine's long-term effectiveness.

The study found that the protective effect was strongest in women vaccinated at the youngest ages, consistent with earlier research showing that the vaccine works best before a person is exposed to the virus.

Public health officials said the findings should encourage countries that have not yet introduced national HPV vaccination programs to do so. They also said the results support efforts to increase vaccination rates in countries where uptake remains low.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends HPV vaccination for children at age 11 or 12. Vaccination rates in the U.S. remain below public health targets in many states.