A significant Swedish study, published in The Lancet Public Health, provides compelling evidence that high Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage can create a 'herd effect,' offering protection even to unvaccinated women against high-grade cervical lesions, which are precursors to cervical cancer. The study analyzed data from over 850,000 unvaccinated women in Sweden across different birth cohorts, revealing that those who grew up in areas with school-based vaccination programs and high uptake had approximately half the risk of developing serious pre-cancerous changes compared to those from cohorts with lower vaccination rates. The findings underscore the value of expanding school-based vaccination initiatives as a cost-effective public health strategy to reduce cervical cancer risk across entire populations. Dr. Neerja Bhatla, Professor and Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS, Delhi, emphasized the crucial lessons this study holds for India. Given that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India, affecting 1.25 lakh and causing 75,000 deaths annually, implementing a robust HPV vaccination program is vital. While India currently lacks extensive data on herd immunity for HPV, the proven global herd effect, as seen in countries like Australia with reduced genital warts in both men and women, reinforces the potential benefits. Achieving a high vaccination coverage, ideally 90% but at least 70% among girls, is essential to leverage this herd protection and significantly reduce the burden of cervical cancer and other HPV-linked cancers in the country. This aligns with India's consideration of a school-based HPV vaccination program, making the Swedish study's insights particularly timely and relevant.