Cervical Cancer Deaths Drop 62% Among Young U.S. Women Following HPV Vaccine

New research links the sharp decline in cervical cancer mortality under age 25 to widespread HPV vaccination since 2006.

A study published in JAMA shows a 62% reduction in cervical cancer deaths among U.S. women under 25 between 2013 and 2021.
Researchers attribute the decline to the introduction of the HPV vaccine, which protects against high-risk strains responsible for most cervical cancer cases.
The study analyzed mortality data from 1992 to 2021, revealing a dramatic acceleration in the decline of deaths starting in 2016, when vaccinated cohorts reached young adulthood.
Despite these gains, HPV vaccination rates in the U.S. have stagnated, with a concerning drop in adolescent vaccination coverage since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts emphasize the vaccine’s potential to nearly eliminate cervical cancer if vaccination rates improve and expand among eligible populations.