Australia is closer than ever to eliminating cervical cancer. In fact, according to a new report from the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Cervical Cancer Control (C4), we may become the first country in the world to do it. But the same report warns that the progress we’ve made is at risk, thanks to slipping screening and vaccination rates — and that the next decade will be crucial.

What the new report found

Researchers from the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne, UNSW’s Kirby Institute, ANU and the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer analysed the latest national data. The major finding was that in 2021 – the latest available data – Australia recorded zero cases of cervical cancer in women under 25.

That milestone reflects the strength of Australia’s HPV vaccination program, which was introduced in 2007 — one of the first of its kind in the world, and still one of the most successful.

So why are things slipping?

But while the report celebrates this achievement, it also sounds an alarm, finding that cervical cancer screening rates are down. Specifically, more than one in four people eligible for a cervical screening are now overdue, marking the second consecutive year of decline. This is despite the broad rollout of HPV self-collection — a simple, self-taken swab now chosen by nearly half of screening participants.

The data also shows gaps that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. Screening participation remains significantly lower among First Nations women, who experience far higher cancer incidence and mortality. Concerningly, for women aged 35 to 39, 15 percent have never had a screening test.

Vaccination coverage is also falling. HPV vaccination rates by age 15 have dropped from nearly 86 percent in 2020 to just under 80 percent in 2023. While still high internationally, it’s a meaningful decline for a program that relies on widespread uptake to protect the whole population.

What researchers want you to know

HPV is responsible for the vast majority of cervical cancer cases. A single dose of the HPV vaccine offers long-term protection against the highest-risk strains, and HPV-based screening detects early changes long before cancer develops. Together, they’re the reason Australia is on track to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue by 2035. However, this can only happen if current trends don’t continue to fall.

Researchers are urging renewed focus on school-based vaccination, equitable access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, clearer national data, and improved outreach to young people who missed doses during the pandemic years.

As Professor Julia Brotherton puts it, vaccinating young people is “a gift you can give your child to protect them for their lifetime.”