AHF to L.A. County: Shut Down Porn Sets
County ‘Asleep at Switch’ on HIV Infections in Porn Industry; AHF to Call on Health Officials to Use Existing California Law to Stop Spread of STDs, including HIV
By: AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Los Angeles, CA - June 18, 2009
Press Conference & Teleconference—Thursday, June 18th 1:00pm Pacific
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will host a press conference and teleconference, Thursday, June 18th at 1:00pm Pacific to demand that officials from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health use existing California law to stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases—including HIV—in performers working in California’s multi-billion dollar adult entertainment industry. AHF will also criticize the County’s handling and reporting of one or more recently reported HIV infections found in actors in the industry.
Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that an actress working in the business—a mainstay of the San Fernando Valley economy—tested HIV positive at the industry-affiliated Adult Industry Medical Foundation’s (AIM) testing clinic in early June. The paper subsequently reported that as many as 16 actors and actresses in the adult entertainment industry had tested positive for HIV since 2004; however, on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reported that County public health officials backtracked away from those claims, noting that while 16 individuals had indeed tested positive at AIM’s testing clinic, they could not confirm that any of those individuals were currently employed as performers in the industry.
“L.A. County Public Health officials have been asleep at the switch with regard to monitoring HIV and STD prevention and testing in the region’s porn industry,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “Under the auspices of California Code that is enacted into law and already on the books, we are calling on County health officials to immediately institute a requirement for condom usage in the production of adult films—something already far more widespread voluntarily in adult gay films. If not, County health officials should shut down production sets that refuse to comply with the California Code.”
The Applicable California Code Provision, Health And Saftey Code Section §120175 Prevention of Spread of Communicable Diseases
Each health officer knowing or having reason to believe that any case of the diseases made reportable by regulation of the department, or any other contagious, infectious or communicable disease exists, or has recently existed, within the territory under his or her jurisdiction, shall take measures as may be necessary to prevent the spread of the disease or the occurrence of additional cases.
WHAT: Press Conference & Teleconference—AHF to Call on LA County to Use Existing California Health and Safety Code Law to Require Condom Use in Porn Film Productions
WHERE: AIDS Healthcare Foundation, 6255 Sunset Blvd., #2100, Los Angeles CA 90028
WHEN: THURSDAY, June 18th 2009—-1:00 PM Pacific (1300)
HOW: Teleconference Dial in information +1.877.411.9748 participant code #7931503
WHO: Michael Weinstein, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, President Brian Chase, Assistant General Counsel, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Whitney Engeran-Cordova, Director, Public Health Division, AHF
CONTACT: Ged Kenslea, AHF Director of Communications (323) 791-5526 cell (323) 860-5225 office
