HPV vaccination programme leads to plummeting cervical cancer deaths in England

18 June 2026

The Cancer Research UK-funded study observed national data on HPV vaccination uptake, and mortality data for England, and found a substantial reduction in cervical cancer mortality in women aged 20-29, that was associated with high uptake of HPV vaccination. Results showed that in England between 2020 and 2024, for the first time, there were no deaths from cervical cancer in women aged 20-24. HPV vaccine coverage in this cohort was close to 90%. Researchers estimate that at the end of 2024, 200 cervical cancer deaths had been avoided in England. The results are consistent with vaccination almost eliminating the risk of dying from cervical cancer in vaccinated women.

The study also estimated that those vaccinated at age 12-13 have close to zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30, and showed that between 2015 and 2019 there was an 80% reduction in cervical cancer deaths for women aged 20-24. Overall, the largest reductions were seen in those vaccinated at ages 12-13, when the vaccine offers the strongest protection. The number of lives saved is expected to rise as vaccinated generations grow older and more people receive the vaccination.

These results support the benefit of HPV vaccination in reducing the incidence of and mortality from a cancer that is, globally, still the second most common cause of cancer death in women aged under 65. Until now, it has not been possible to show directly that HPV vaccination reduces cervical cancer deaths. With vaccinated generations now reaching adulthood, this study provides the strongest national evidence to date that the vaccine is saving lives.

Authors say that, with falling HPV vaccine rates and growing vaccine hesitancy, it is important to demonstrate, as they have done here, that following the introduction of HPV vaccination with high population coverage, there is a considerable fall in cervical cancer mortality.

Lead author Professor Peter Sasieni said:

“For more than two decades, our team has been building evidence to show that HPV causes cervical cancer and that vaccination prevents infections, precancerous changes, and the disease itself. This is the first study of the impact of HPV vaccination on cervical cancer mortality.

It's amazing news that no women aged between 20–24 died from cervical cancer in the whole of England between 2020 and 2024. That remarkable fact is thanks to nearly 90% of Gen Z women having received the HPV vaccine through the school vaccination and catch-up programmes. 

As vaccinated generations grow older, we’ll see many more lives saved from cervical cancer. It is incredible to think that a single jab can almost eliminate a particular type of cancer, and this new research shows just how vital it is to keep HPV vaccination levels high, so that more people are protected.”

Peter Sasieni, Milena Falcaro. Cervical cancer mortality trends following HPV vaccination: an analysis of population-based mortality data in England, 2001-2024. The Lancet, 17 June 2026. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00918-9/fulltext