AIDS Forum a Reminder of D.C. Epidemic

," prominent HIV-testing advocate A. Toni Young said.

The reference to the river that runs through Washington, D.C., was significant for two reasons. For one, Young happened to be speaking at the International AIDS 2012 Conference, hosted this year in Washington.

But it was also relevant in light of the fact that the city through which the Potomac River flows struggles with an HIV prevalence rate of nearly 3 percent.

Yet, there seems to be signs of real progress. Young is founder of the Community Education Group, a nonprofit organization working to increase HIV testing and provide HIV education in the District, particularly for black women. She was joined by city officials and researchers at the AIDS conference to showcase the results.

"The results speak for themselves," said Dr. Mohammad Akhter, director of the D.C. Department of Health.

The number of deaths among people with HIV has declined by nearly half, from 399 in 2006 to 207 in 2010. The number of AIDS cases -- a signal of a late diagnosis of HIV -- dropped by nearly one-third in the same time period. No babies have been born with HIV in the District since 2009.

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Aging AIDS epidemic raises new health questions

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Aging AIDS epidemic raises new health questions

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AIDS Conference: Thousands Gather to Talk Cures, Treatments and Funding for the Global Epidemic

Our return to the United States after a 22-year absence comes at a time of extraordinary hope, a time when we believe that the end of the AIDS epidemic is possible,

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Russia fears new epidemic of synthetic marijuana

Russia's leading anti-drug crusader says the abuse of synthetic marijuana is turning into a "horrible" epidemic in his country.

Experts say a range of hallucinogens known as "spice" are very hard to kick, and addicts lose sleep, weight and get kidney and brain disorders from them.

Evgeny Roizman, who spoke Wednesday, heads a rehabilitation clinic in the central city of Ekaterinburg.

Concerned about the spread of "spice," Russian drug enforcement agencies have banned several of its chemical ingredients. But producers can easily change the chemical makeup to come up with new brands, which are advertised online and widely sold across Russia.

Components of "spice" have been banned in several European nations and in parts of the United States.

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China faces 'serious' epidemic of drug-resistant TB

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