In October 2025 China made a landmark decision: HPV vaccine is now part of the national immunisation programme.
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement warmly welcoming the move.
What the policy says
From 10 November 2025, nationwide, China will:
- For girls born on or after 10 November 2011, once they turn 13
- Provide two doses of bivalent HPV vaccine free of charge (six months apart)
That means every generation of Chinese girls now gets a first line of defence against cervical cancer from adolescence.
Why 13?
WHO recommends 9–14 as the optimal age for HPV vaccination, for three reasons:
- The strongest immune response: antibody levels at this age are more than double those of people over 15
- No exposure yet: the vast majority have not been infected before sexual activity begins, so the vaccine works best
- Two doses is enough: ages 9–14 need only two doses, while from 15 upwards three are required — earlier is cheaper
Do you still need screening after vaccination?
Yes.
WHO stresses that vaccination and screening are the two pillars of cervical cancer prevention, and neither stands alone.
- HPV vaccines do not cover every cancer-causing type (the bivalent covers types 16 and 18, behind about 70% of cervical cancers)
- Vaccines cannot clear an infection that already exists
- Regular screening (every 3–5 years) remains essential
Vaccines prevent; screening detects. Run both, and cervical cancer can genuinely be eliminated.
China's goal: eliminate cervical cancer
WHO launched the Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in 2020, with targets of:
- 90% of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine before age 15
- 70% of women screened with a high-performance test by age 35, and again by 45
- 90% of women identified with cervical disease receiving treatment
Adding HPV vaccine to the national immunisation programme is a key step towards that 90–70–90 target.
This era belongs to every Chinese girl — starting with this generation, cervical cancer is no longer a fate.
