A major study has found that the HPV vaccine significantly reduces the risk of cervical cancer, a largely preventable cancer that can develop later in life. The study followed long-term health data from girls and young women in Sweden for nearly two decades, and found that over time, far fewer people who were vaccinated developed cervical cancer compared to those who were not vaccinated. The age at vaccination matters, with girls who received the vaccine before the age of 17 being significantly less likely to develop cervical cancer. The vaccine prevents HPV infection but does not remove an infection already occurring. Many countries now recommend HPV vaccination for both girls and boys, usually in early adolescence, and it also helps reduce the spread of the virus.