LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Times posted a story this morning on the Free Speech Coalition's plan to launch its new database that tracks adult performers' sexually transmitted disease test results.
This week, FSC is launching the Adult Production Health and Safety Services (APHSS), designed to fill in the gaps left by the closure of the AIM Medical Associates, which closed down after hit with a suit that alleged it revealed performer data.
FSC Executive Director Diane Duke told the Times that an advisory council of producers, performers, agents, worker safety and medical consultants will ensure that the program will "live up to expectations."
"We're going to be very protective of our performers' rights," Duke told the Times.
In the works for months and elaborated further this week in a news piece by Duke on XBIZ.com, APHSS will use existing testing facilities and doctors to provide testing and treatment to performers at a reduced rate.
She said the program will provide a database for producers, agents and performers to check performer availability. But the database won't contain medical information or personal information. The database will contain only the performer’s legal name and “available until.”
Performers will still be able to have access to their test results directly from the testing site. And producers and agents will not have the liability associated with keeping performer medical records, Duke said.
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UPDATE: 11 a.m.
Duke told XBIZ on Wednesday that there were several inaccuracies in the Times piece.
"The L.A. Times reporter called me about PornWikileaks being taken down and the work we were doing with the FBI," she said. "She misquoted me when I told her that FSC was not responsible for getting the site down and I gave her contact information for Michael Whiteacre, who was one of the folks responsible for PWL being taken down. Unfortunately, she did not follow up and speak with Mr. Whiteacre.
"Additionally, she got it wrong when she insinuated that the APHSS is a re-creation of the AIM database. I could not have been more clear that our APHSS program is completely separate from AIM and that there is no connection whatsoever.
"We created our database from scratch, we are in the beta testing phase and will announce details about the site this Friday.
"Starting from square one with the APHSS.org database was a challenge, we appreciate the support of performers and industry members as they help us create this critical resource for the industry."
