Due to concerns raised by industry members, Adult Production Health & Safety Services (APHSS.org) today announces that it will accept only the Aptima HIV-1RNA Qualitative Assay test for monthly performer STI screening, effective August 31.

This action comes after interaction with industry members that have expressed concerns over the “off-label” use of the Abbot RealTime HIV 1 Assay HIV PCR test. Though recommended to APHSS.org by experts for screening purposes, the Abbot test is not FDA-approved for diagnosis of acute (early) HIV infection.

Producers approached FSC Executive Director Diane Duke with concerns over the off-label use of the Abbott test; that led to a decision to accept only the FDA-approved test.

“In our research as to the best test for the industry there were expert doctors and pathologists that preferred the Abbot test which is why we kept it on the list,” Duke reported.  “But we heard from producers and performers that they would prefer only the Aptima test.  All of the experts we spoke with said that both tests were appropriate, so Aptima it is.”

The Aptima test is FDA-approved for early diagnosis of HIV infection. It also has a 9-11 day “window period,” which shortens the time of accurate diagnosis, compared to a 14-day window for PCR-DNA tests previously used by APHSS.org and the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare (AIM) clinic.

Previously the primary resource for performer health & safety, the AIM clinic was closed in 2011, largely due to legal attacks by AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The APHSS.org program was developed to fill the void left by the AIM closure. APHSS.org upholds industry self-regulation of performer testing, and carries on with the protocols developed by the AIM clinic for handling of any STI exposure incidents that may occur on adult sets; this includes responsibility for protocols in the event of an HIV exposure, as well as any needed production moratoriums.

For more information about APHSS.org, please, visit the website or contact joanne@freespeechcoalition.com.

(Photo: Some rights reserved by Goldmun100)