Because almost all cases of cervical cancer can be traced to HPV, some countries think the vaccine will help them eliminate the disease within years.

Why it matters: The CDC report shows that rates of precancerous lesions among women aged 20-24 screened for cervical cancer dropped by about 80% from 2008 to 2022. The report comes just days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who once called the HPV vaccine "dangerous and defective" — was confirmed as health and human services secretary.

Fewer precancerous lesions are being found in young women undergoing cervical cancer screenings thanks to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Rates of precancerous lesions in women between the ages of 20 and 24 dropped by roughly 80 percent from 2008 to 2022,