We are in an exciting era for cancer prevention. In Oxford and elsewhere, research scientists are working on the development of vaccines that might prevent the development of cancer in people with a range of conditions that put them at higher risk of cancer.
Concurrently, public awareness and discussion around vaccines have been heightened by the rise in vaccine hesitancy and the reach of vaccine misinformation.
OxCODE and the Centre for Personalised Medicine, together with the Oxford Cancer Cancer Vaccines PPI Panel, designed an event in June 2025 focussed around vaccines for preventing cancer. Our aim was to bring together academics, clinicians, members of the public, and other key stakeholders to explore the possibilities and challenges of this exciting new era for cancer research.
The team invited a panel of national leaders and patient representatives to convene for an afternoon of talks and discussion. The programme was designed to combine presentations from expert stakeholders with panel discussions and questions from the delegates, including 20 patients, carers and members of the public who travelled from across England to join the conversation.
There was plenty of stimulating and lively discussion, with questions and contributions from multiple perspectives. For a full breakdown of the day, including public discussion points and next steps, see the Oxford Cancer Vaccines Hub.