Survival rates among HIV/AIDs sufferers in Florida has risen dramatically thanks to advances in treatment and diagnosis, as well as new medications. Increased testing has resulted in earlier diagnosis among large numbers of people, leading to earlier treatment and a better prognosis. Antiretroviral drugs have improved drastically in recent years, allowing the body to stop replicating the HIV virus. For some, such as John Griffin, he went from receiving a prognosis of 18 months to continuing to fight 15 years later. He takes roughly 12 pills and is often tired and achy, but he is alive. Smith’s treatment is paid by Medicare, and is very expensive. This leads federal agencies to improve the rate of testing and prevention. How effective is Florida in the battle against this disease? How do we rate compared to other states in terms of awareness and prevention?