In an article in The Conversation, Carol Dezateux and Nicola Firman (Centre for Primary Care) discuss the news that the HPV vaccine cuts cervical cancer cases by almost 90%, in the light of their own recent vaccine uptake research. The WIPH study interviewed parents of nearly 6,000 14 year old girls about whether their daughters had been vaccinated and, if not, the reasons why. Around 10% of girls had not yet been vaccinated through the UK schools’ programme, and unvaccinated girls were more likely to live in the most disadvantaged areas, be home-schooled, temporarily or permanently excluded from attending school, or from a black or other minority ethnic background. Girls from the most disadvantaged areas were 56% less likely to have received the vaccine than those in the most advantaged areas. Researchers suggest that one way to improve uptake may be to involve family doctors in offering the vaccine to children who have missed out.