Friday, Dec 6, 2013    Text size: 

CANOGA PARK, Calif — The Free Speech Coalition called for a production moratorium today after one of the testing facilities in its PASS system reported a positive HIV test for an adult performer.

“There was a positive test at one of our testing centers. We are taking every precaution while we do research to determine if there’s been any threat to the performer pool,” FSC CEO Diane Duke said.

“We take the health of our performers very seriously and felt that it was better to err on the side of caution while we determine whether anyone else may have been exposed.”

Sources said the talent in question is a straight male performer.

The next steps will be to perform additional tests, determine a timeline and identify any first-generation partners.

“We want to make sure all performers are protected. The performers’ health and safety is the most important thing,” Duke said.

The FSC called for all production to halt immediately, until further notice.

Michael Stabile, an FSC spokesman, told XBIZ that the trade group's call for a moratorium is on the correct course.

"We want to make sure every performer is safe, and this a precautionary measure to make sure they are," Stabile said. "It's the right thing to do in this case — to stop shooting."

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation late Friday issued a statement over the latest news from the FSC, the fourth moratorium in the past 16 months.

Michael Weinstein, president of AHF, said that his group is saddened by the news and "hopes that the performer seeks care immediately and that others were not exposed.”

Weinstein for the past nine years has waged a tireless war in California over making mandatory condoms in porn productions, eventually pushing forward an ordinance that was later approved by voters in Los Angeles County.

Measure B was passed more than one year ago  by voters, who green lighted the “Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act” that requires the use of condoms in the production of adult movies in Los Angeles County. The ordinance, however, is on the books but no enforcement has taken place.

“Whether this performer was infected in L.A. County or not, this latest news begs the question: how many people need to become infected with HIV for the County of Los Angeles to engage actively in implementing the will of the voters of L.A. County to protect these performers?" Weinstein asked. "How many more performers need to become infected for the industry to comply with existing regulations and laws requiring workplace safety?

"The willful disregard by the County of Los Angeles and the industry for the health and welfare of people is becoming more and more apparent.  The industry as a whole, and the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health should be ashamed.”

Updates on the moratorium will be posted to the FSC-PASS website and the FSC blog.