The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a reminder for women under the age of 25 to come forward for the HPV vaccine after new landmark research found the NHS programme is saving lives.
The agency posted on X about what it described as “encouraging” evidence showing the vaccine’s dramatic impact on cervical cancer deaths among young women. In the social media post, UKHSA said: “It’s encouraging to see news highlighting how the HPV vaccine is saving young women’s lives. If you have not yet taken up the offer and you are a woman under 25, you can still get the HPV vaccine for free through the NHS.”
Landmark Study Published in The Lancet
The alert follows a major study published this week in The Lancet, which found that girls vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) at age 12 or 13 now have an almost zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30. Researchers estimate that nearly 200 deaths have already been prevented in England since the vaccination programme was introduced in 2008.
The findings mark the first time researchers have been able to demonstrate a direct impact on mortality from the vaccine programme. Between 2020 and 2024, no women aged 20 to 24 died from cervical cancer in England – a first in recorded history.
Professor Peter Sasieni, lead author of the study from Queen Mary University of London, said: “We estimate that since its introduction, HPV vaccination has prevented nearly 200 young women from dying from cervical cancer in England.”
What Is the HPV Vaccine?
The HPV vaccine protects against the human papillomavirus, a common infection spread through skin-to-skin contact, usually during sex. While many HPV infections are harmless, certain strains are responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer and are also linked to cancers of the mouth, throat, anus, penis, vulva and vagina.
Under the NHS vaccination programme, the jab is routinely offered to boys and girls aged 12 to 13 in school Year 8. However, young people who missed their vaccination remain eligible for a free catch-up dose until their 25th birthday.
Eligibility for Catch-Up Jabs
According to NHS guidance, women and girls aged 24 and under who missed the vaccine at school can arrange a catch-up jab through their GP surgery, school vaccination team or school nurse. Boys born after September 1, 2006 who missed vaccination are also eligible until age 25. The NHS says most people under 25 now require only a single dose.
Uptake Still Below Target
Health officials are concerned that uptake remains below target. Government figures published earlier this year showed around one in four young people are leaving school without HPV protection. National vaccination rates remain below the World Health Organisation’s target of 90% coverage by age 15.
Caroline Temmink, NHS Director of Vaccination, said earlier this year: “The HPV vaccine can save lives and prevent up to 90% of cervical cancers, so it’s worrying that a quarter of young people are missing out on this vital protection against a range of cancers, including head and neck cancer.”
Hope for the Future
The vaccine’s success has fuelled hopes that cervical cancer could eventually become rare in Britain. Cancer Research UK’s chief executive Michelle Mitchell said the latest findings showed for the first time that the vaccine was not only preventing cancer but “saving lives”. She added that “thanks to HPV vaccination and cervical screening, a future where almost nobody gets cervical cancer is now firmly in sight”.
Despite the breakthrough, health experts stress that women should continue attending cervical screening appointments when invited, as the vaccine does not protect against every cancer-causing strain of HPV.
