Three years after an HIV outbreak rocked the San Fernando Valley's adult-entertainment industry, Los Angeles health officials say production studios have failed to maintain rigorous safety standards and are imperiling hundreds of performers.
While no cases have been reported since four adult-movie performers tested positive for HIV in April 2004, health officials say they are increasingly concerned that nearly all studios have dropped — or never even adopted — strict condoms-only policies.
Worried about the potential for another HIV outbreak, a coalition of public, nonprofit and academic health leaders has been lobbying state lawmakers to tighten regulations.
"The reality is, an HIV epidemic could happen tomorrow," said Paula Tavrow, adjunct assistant professor in the community health sciences department at the University of California, Los Angeles. "We have no safeguards in place to prevent that."
The 2004 outbreak prompted studios to impose a temporary moratorium on production. Amid calls for government regulation, many also required performers to use condoms during filming even though studio executives worried about a potential loss in revenue because of the restrictions. Some were concerned that condoms would ruin the on-camera aesthetic of films' sex scenes.
Today, however, industry officials say almost all studios have reverted to condom-optional policies and instead rely on periodic health screenings — a practice their lobbyists defend as effective and comprehensive.
But Peter R. Kerndt, director of the sexually transmitted disease program with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, says periodic screening is inadequate.
Officials note that the male actor believed to have transmitted HIV to three female performers through unprotected sex in 2004 also had been regularly tested.
"They've totally relapsed," said Kerndt, who has provided technical support to the coalition lobbying for tighter legislation. "It's like it never happened. There's little regard and no protection for the people who work in this industry."
Kerndt said advocates, including the Los Angeles-based AIDS Health Care Foundation, have had difficulty finding a lawmaker to author tougher legislation.
Foundation President Michael Weinstein said his organization has talked with many legislators but none has signed on.
"This is a worker health-and-safety issue, a women's issue, a human-rights issue," Kerndt said. "This is the last at-risk population exposed unnecessarily to the risk of HIV and a host of other sexually transmitted diseases."
John Schunhoff, county Department of Public Health chief deputy director, said the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and county health officials have supported efforts to make the industry safer, but so far have opted against sponsoring a bill.
"We have to pick our battles," Schunhoff said, although he noted health officials still might weigh in if there is an amended bill this session.
"If there is an opportunity of our becoming more active and to really make a difference, we'll do so," he said.
Sharon Mitchell, a founder and executive director of the Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation in Sherman Oaks, said condoms should be used, but mandating them could backfire.
Mitchell said "renegade" performers could just go underground and even give up the current monthly voluntary testing.
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