Cervical cancer is the twelfth most common cancer in women in the UK and the second most common worldwide. It causes around 1,000 deaths each year in the UK. Cervical screening programmes have reduced mortality rates by 62% between 1987-2006. From autumn 2008, a UK-wide programme will immunise adolescent girls using a new vaccine against a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer. This note gives an overview of cervical cancer prevention strategies, including vaccination, and the issues arising.