Cervical cancer is one of the major medical problems mainly because of insidious development of non‑specific signs and symptoms. The main etiological factor in the development of cervical cancer is human papillomavirus (HPV). For this reason, great importance is attached to prevent the infection by vaccination against the virus. Despite the fact that researchers have proven the efficacy of the two vaccines available in Poland, HPV vaccines arouse controversy. It results mainly from the evaluation of vaccine efficacy which is measured only by the prevention of virologic infection or related clinical events. The maximum benefits after the immunization are expected in population of women who has not yet begun sexual activity. The studies did not confirm any major or long‑term side effects resulting from the use of the vaccines. Many experts believe that the benefits of the vaccination against human papillomavirus outweighs the potential risk posed by the immunization.

Key words: cervical cancer, HPV, human papillomavirus, vaccines, prevention.