Australia remains on track to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, but declining HPV vaccination and cervical screening rates are emerging as major obstacles, according to the 2025 Cervical Cancer Elimination Progress Report from the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Cervical Cancer Control (C4).
Key Milestone But Widening Gaps
Researchers reported a significant achievement: in 2021, Australia recorded zero cervical cancer cases among women under age 25. Experts credit this to the national HPV vaccination program launched in 2007.
Overall survival continues to improve. Five-year relative survival rose to 76.8% in 2017–2021, up from 73.9% in 2012–2016. However, major inequities persist. Indigenous women continue to experience substantially lower survival (64.3% at five years) compared with non-Indigenous women (74.6%).
Screening Participation Slipping
Despite strong lifetime screening coverage among women aged 35–39 (85%), more than one in four eligible women nationwide are now overdue for screening—marking the second consecutive year of decline. This trend continues even as self-collection becomes more widely available and increasingly preferred.
Only half of women aged 25–29 are up-to-date with screening, and 15% of women aged 35–39 have never been screened.
Vaccination Rates Decline From Earlier Peak
HPV vaccination coverage by age 15 has dropped to just under 80%, down from a peak of almost 86% in 2020 for both girls and boys. Researchers warn that reduced uptake threatens long-term progress, as HPV types 16 and 18 cause the majority of cervical cancers.
Experts emphasize that even a single dose of the HPV vaccine offers strong protection against cervical and other HPV-related cancers. They urge parents and young adults to take advantage of free catch-up doses through primary care and pharmacies.
Equity And Data Gaps Remain Critical Barriers
Researchers stressed that progress toward elimination must include all populations. Persistent gaps in screening and vaccination among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities highlight the need for better, faster, and more complete data to guide interventions.
Recommendations For National Action
The report calls for coordinated, sustained efforts across the health system, including:
- Reversing declines in HPV vaccination through strengthened school-based programs.
- Prioritizing vaccination equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents.
- Addressing falling screening participation and expanding targeted outreach.
- Improving availability and quality of data across populations.
- Enhancing national cancer reporting systems.
- Developing a monitoring framework for cervical cancer treatment.
Now in its fifth year, the C4 report underscores more than a decade of research that has positioned Australia as a global leader in HPV vaccination and HPV-based screening—progress that researchers say must be protected to achieve elimination by 2035.
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