LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a report released earlier today, the California Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Branch says that it has documented the on-set transmission of an HIV infection from an adult film performer thought to be working out of state (in Nevada) to another performer the individual worked with. The case involves a male performer who was filmed performing with other male performers. The newly infected individual initially tested HIV-negative in California after what was on–set exposure out of state (shooting films without condoms or protective barriers); however, two weeks later, the individual in question then tested HIV-positive. In mid-October, the Free Speech Coalition (FSC), the adult industry trade group, instituted a moratorium on adult industry filming due to reports of an industry-related infection—due to what is most likely this latest HIV case. The filming ban was lifted by the FSC the following week.
California health officials confirmed the on-set transmission after sending blood samples to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which genetically sequenced (genotyping and phenotyping) the virus found in the performers involved, and matched it to an adult film actor the infected performer worked with.
“This is not AHF or supporters of condoms claiming that an HIV transmission occurred on the set of an adult film. This is California’s Department of Public Health and OSHA Occupational Health officials who vetted the performers' blood samples with the CDC and concluded after genetic sequencing that this HIV infection occurred on set,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). “For years adult film producers have claimed that performers who have tested HIV-positive while working in the industry did not contract HIV in the industry, but became infected through exposure in their personal lives outside and away from adult film sets. This new case puts truth to the lie that the industry has promoted year-after-year, years that sadly saw several additional performers infected while working in the porn industry.”
The adult film industry concedes that it did have three (3) confirmed on–set transmissions in 2004 after a male performer who had worked in adult films in South America returned to the U.S. and resumed filming adult films in Los Angeles—subsequently infecting three female partners on set.
Since 2004 there have been numerous other cases of performers testing HIV-positive while working in California’s porn industry, including cases in 2010 (Derrick Burts) and 2013 (Cameron Bay and Rod Daily). However, despite the largest-ever OSHA fines levied against the adult film industry in the Cameron Bay case, porn producers continue the spin that these individuals did not contract HIV on set in the industry, but in their personal lives.
“There is no proof that any of these HIV infections over the past decade have not occurred on set other that the porn industry’s word, with the general public and health officials relying on the industry’s own self-reporting,” added Weinstein. “This is a tragic repeat of last year, and of 2010 as well as previous years. Won't we ever learn?”
About AIDS Healthcare Foundation
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 380,000 individuals in 36 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare.
