Australia wants to be first nation in the world to eliminate a cancer - can it?

Australia is on track to eliminate cervical cancer as a public‑health issue by around 2035, driven by its early national rollout of the HPV vaccine (Gardasil), high school vaccination programs (just over 80% uptake for girls under 15) and a sensitive HPV‑based screening program (about 85% coverage in the key age group). Achieving elimination would lower long‑term healthcare costs, reduce workforce disruption and boost productivity — outcomes that could be modestly positive for the broader Australian economy and, over time, corporate earnings in sectors exposed to domestic demand, healthcare and insurance, potentially supporting the Australia 200 index. Risks include falling vaccination coverage in some groups (notably Indigenous communities), cost and access barriers, and reduced global aid for vaccine programs that could slow progress and limit international spillovers.