Australia is marking 20 years since the launch of Gardasil, the world’s first vaccine designed to prevent cervical cancer, with health experts saying the country could eliminate the disease as a public health problem within the next decade.

The vaccine, developed by Australian researchers Professor Ian Frazer and his late colleague Dr Jian Zhou at the University of Queensland, protects against human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cases of cervical cancer as well as genital warts and a number of other cancers.

Since its introduction, more than 800 million doses of the HPV vaccine have been administered worldwide. The vaccine has become a key part of global efforts to eliminate cervical cancer, with vaccination programs now operating in 165 countries.

Australia was among the first countries to introduce a publicly funded HPV vaccination program. The vaccine was made available to girls and young women through the National Immunisation Program from 2007, with boys and young men added in 2013.

Experts say the results have been remarkable. Griffith University infectious diseases professor Nigel McMillan believes Australia could see cervical cancer become extremely rare within the next 10 years.

However, health authorities are increasingly concerned about declining vaccination rates. Data from the Australian Immunisation Register shows HPV vaccination coverage among girls by age 15 fell from 86.6 per cent in 2020 to 78.7 per cent in 2025. Coverage among boys also declined, from 84.9 per cent to 75.6 per cent over the same period.

Public health experts warn that falling coverage could threaten Australia’s progress towards eliminating the disease.

Professor Julia Brotherton of the University of Melbourne described the vaccine as highly effective and stressed the importance of maintaining strong vaccination rates.

Twenty years after its launch, Gardasil stands as a major Australian medical achievement. But experts say achieving cervical cancer elimination will depend on ensuring that future generations continue to have access to and receive HPV vaccination