The benefits of the HPV vaccine are proven in a new study, Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Vaccination against the human papilloma virus, or HPV, all but eliminates cervical cancer in those who receive the vaccine early and complete the vaccine series, a study from the UK finds. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, describes the findings.

Nelson: The overall story is a really good one. They estimated that by June 30 of 2019 there had been 448 fewer cervical cancers that would have otherwise occurred, and 17,000 or more fewer cases of the cancer precursor condition among the girls who had been vaccinated. All told it had almost eliminated cervical cancer in women born since September 1, 1995, in other words the youngest group that got vaccinated.  :30

Nelson says current vaccines are effective against several subtypes of the HPV virus so protection should be even more comprehensive, and notes that boys too should receive the vaccine. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.