Cervical Cancer Deaths in Young Women Are Dropping—Here’s Why That Matters

Let’s talk about some hopeful news in women’s health. A recent study published in JAMA looked at trends in cervical cancer mortality among U.S. women under age 25, comparing rates before and after the introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2006.

What they found is remarkable: between 1999 and 2006 (before vaccination was widely available), there was an average of 0.71 deaths per 1 million women annually. But from 2006 through 2019—after the vaccine rollout—there were no reported cervical cancer deaths in this age group.

None.

This kind of outcome is rare in medicine and speaks to the immense power of preventive care. HPV vaccination, when administered early, protects against the high-risk viral strains that cause the vast majority of cervical cancers. And we’re now seeing those benefits reflected in real-world mortality data.

For anyone wondering if these vaccines make a difference: they do. And this data reminds us how crucial it is to keep pushing for early vaccination, especially before the onset of sexual activity. It’s not just reducing risk—it’s eliminating deaths.

Let’s keep using the tools we have.

Citation: Watson RA, Wang Y, Flagg EW, et al. Trends in Cervical Cancer Mortality in US Women Aged Younger Than 25 Years Before and After the Introduction of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination. JAMA. 2025;333(2):171–173. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.23800