Porn stars fight regulation
2004-04-23 13:57
Los Angeles - An HIV outbreak in the adult movie industry is contained, a health group said in arguing against a call for government regulation of the multibillion-dollar industry.
Since announcing last week that two performers tested positive for HIV, the Adult Movie Industry Healthcare Foundation has identified 51 performers who had on-screen sex with them after they contracted the virus.
Four of those performers have tested negative for HIV and all voluntarily stopped working until at least June while they take two monthly tests, said Sharon Mitchell, the foundation's executive director.
"We are very confident that people are safe," foundation board chairman Ira Levine said on Thursday. "No additional transmissions of HIV from these cases are expected, either in the adult performer talent pool or in the community at large."
Industry shut down
Roughly 80% of the San Fernando Valley-based industry has shut down production until the performers test negative, Mitchell said.
Los Angeles County health officials, however, are continuing to investigate whether the performers may have spread the Aids virus to sex partners outside the porn industry, said Peter Kerndt, director of the health department's sexually transmitted disease program.
Kerndt has suggested that the HIV concerns might spark a law requiring the use of condoms on adult movie sets - which the industry would fight because it could turn off customers.
Levine said his non-profit group, which is partly supported by the industry, supports voluntary condom use in adult movies but opposes making it a law.
Government supervision of adult movies "will have the certain impact of driving production underground and alienating performers from the health care system," Levine said.
But producer Dave Pounder supports a federal law requiring condoms. "Any time you do health regulation, it's beneficial," he said. "Only positive things can come from it."
County health officials ordered the foundation to turn over four months of HIV tests for the exposed performers, as well as their real names and contact information.
The records were submitted on Wednesday - except for those for the two HIV-positive performers, whose records are protected by state privacy laws, said Jeffrey Douglas, an attorney representing the foundation.
One of the performers is believed to have contracted HIV last month while filming in Brazil. When he returned, he apparently passed it on to a performer who goes by the screen name Lara Roxx, the foundation said.
The industry relies on the foundation to give HIV tests, and most producers refuse to allow a performer onto a set unless he or she can produce a monthly HIV test.
The state division of occupational health and safety is investigating the working conditions at the production company that hired Roxx. If it finds that employees were exposed to serious health dangers, it could issue fines of up to $25 000 per incident.
- AP