November 26, 2012
Washington, DC
Thank you for that kind introduction. I am delighted to join this Summit which has played such an important role in shaping the national conversation about our fight against HIV/AIDS.
And with World Aids Day coming up, I also want to thank you for your contribution to a truly global campaign. Please visit AIDS.gov to learn how you can participate in this year's worldwide commemoration on December 1st.
We have made great progress together in recent years. In the United States, infections among injecting drug users have dropped more than 80 percent. Pediatric cases of HIV are down more than 90 percent. And today, someone diagnosed with HIV, and treated before the disease is far advanced, can have a nearly normal life expectancy. These gains have been accompanied by major breakthroughs in science -- including the recent finding that treatment itself is among the best forms of prevention.
In the last few years, we have also brought long-overdue attention to the epidemic of viral hepatitis. FDA has approved a new rapid test for Hepatitis C. New treatments are now available to cure up to 75 percent of Hepatitis C infections. And even more promising treatments are in the pipeline. The addition of viral hepatitis to this Summit is, itself, a testament to a growing awareness of the disease.
But we also know we have a long way to go.
