Denmark has set an ambitious goal to eradicate cervical cancer by 2040, with hopes for achieving this milestone even sooner, as stated by the Danish Cancer Society.

The strategy for eradication will rely heavily on widespread HPV vaccination and effective screening programs.

In 2023, over 100,000 fifth-grade students in France received the HPV vaccine, contributing to a total of 420,000 vaccinated adolescents, although the overall vaccination rate remains low at 48%, up from 28% in 2020.

The HPV vaccine has been available free of charge to girls since 2008-2009 and to boys since 2019.

Currently, Denmark boasts an HPV vaccination rate of 89% among 12-year-old boys and girls for the first dose, just shy of the 90% target.

However, participation in cervical cancer screening among women in Denmark stands at 60%, falling short of the desired 70% target.

As it stands, the recurrence rate of cervical cancer in Denmark is below 10 cases per 100,000 women, which is significantly lower than the World Health Organization's target of four cases per 100,000 for achieving eradication status.

The World Health Organization defines eradication as an incidence rate lower than four cases per 100,000 women.

In France, health authorities are responding to approximately 3,000 annual cervical cancer cases by ramping up vaccination campaigns.