Cancer

Study: HPV Vaccine Prevents Cervical Cancer Deaths

Is the HPV vaccine enough to end cervical cancer or do we still need screening to save lives?

Published JUN 18

Study: HPV Vaccine Prevents Cervical Cancer Deaths

Story

Above: A person holds a cervical cancer prevention placard in the lobby of the Scottish Parliament on Jan. 26, 2023. Image credit: Ken Jack/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

No young women in England have died of cervical cancer in years, and that's a direct result of the HPV vaccine working as promised. Evidence shows vaccination slashes cervical cancer risk by at least 80%, especially when given before adolescence. This is one of the only cancers humanity can actually prevent, and getting vaccinated is the most powerful step anyone can take.

By the Numbers

Aproko Doctor Global on X

Dirk Bruere on X

Narrative B

Cervical cancer rates were already declining before the 2008 rollout due to screening, improved diagnostics, and lifestyle changes — making it difficult to attribute zero deaths in young women solely to vaccination. The vaccine covers only some high-risk strains, efficacy claims rest on surrogate endpoints, and serious adverse events may be systematically underreported. In countries with robust screening, the case for routine adolescent vaccination deserves far more scrutiny.

Children’s Health Defense Brownstone Institute