NHS England’s chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, has declared that cervical cancer could be eliminated in England by 2040 through a combination of HPV vaccination and increased screening. This is the first time an NHS leader has set a timeframe for eradicating a form of cancer. Pritchard stressed the importance of high vaccination rates and increased screening participation. The plan includes making vaccination more convenient and persuading more women to attend screenings, targeting the one-third who currently do not participate. Australia and Canada have set similar targets for eliminating cervical cancer by 2035 and 2040, respectively.
Do you believe this is a realistic and achievable target?