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Purveyor, Fine Asian Porn
Industry Role:
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 38,323
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Saw this on Mike South's Blog:
Quote:
PORN 102 ? The Adult Industry Testing System Explained
By Lacey Blake
January 28th, 2014
The newly formed ?Adult Performer Advocacy Committee? (APAC) recently released an educational video known as PORN 101. The premise of the video is to give new performers a place to find comprehensive information regarding the adult industry. It showcases many of porn?s biggest performers discussing various issues such as limited future career opportunities, personal relationship issues, the myriad of sexual diseases, set etiquette and even a few general business tips.
As the roughly 15 minute video came to an end my initial impressions were quite positive. Everyone did a great job and gave some excellent information and advice. But, something was missing: a detailed explanation of the industry?s testing system. I would hope leaving an explanation of the testing system and how it works out wasn?t a calculated decision to avoid discussing the semantics.
The industry?s favorite motto of ?Our testing system works? was noticeably absent from the video. There were very few details included such as ?We have testing protocols in place? and some suggestion about ?checking performer ID?s against test results to confirm a match.? That seemed to be about it.
As usual, a firm request for performers to practice safe sex, including condoms, in their personal lives was stressed including protected sex with spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, escort work or casual encounters. Although, according to Nina Hartley, condoms don?t work 100% of the time and have been known to break on occasion so I?m still unsure what the industry determines to be safe sex at this point?
With that said, any performer currently active or those individuals considering the option of working in the adult entertainment industry deserve an accurate, detailed and comprehensive explanation of the industry?s testing system to assist them in making a fully informed decision. After all, their health is on the line here.
I?ve tried on numerous occasions to find some sort of guide to the industry?s testing system with no luck. Therefore, here are some key points to at least get you started until the industry decides to make another video and includes a more detailed explanation of the testing system:
THE ADULT INDUSTRY TESTING SYSTEM
WHY should I get tested?
The testing system is used to inform performers whether or not they have been infected with one or multiple sexually transmitted diseases and/or infections. A blood test is performed to determine, only at the EXACT time your blood is drawn, whether you have been infected with any diseases or infections that were included in your particular test panel. The benefit of using the testing system is to catch any diseases or infections as soon as possible in order to start a course of treatment, if treatment is available. The sooner the disease or infection is detected, the faster any treatment options can begin.
WHAT does the testing system NOT do?
The testing system is 100% not a form of protection. The system wasn?t created or even designed to offer any form of protection. The testing system is used for the after-the-fact detection of any sexually transmitted diseases or infections. The testing system offers roughly the same exact amount of ?protection? as the common pregnancy test. With a pregnancy test, you have unprotected sex and then test for pregnancy. The testing system operates under the same premise. For the industry testing system, you have unprotected sex and then test for a specific panel of sexually transmitted diseases or infections. The results will determine whether you have now tested positive or negative for each disease and/or infection included in your test panel.
HOW is the testing system classified?
The testing system was created to serve as a ?Harm Reduction Program.? These programs are used as a system of last-resort recommended for at-risk individuals participating in highly dangerous activities which contain a high level of risk. They are set-up with the unfortunate theory that highly at-risk individuals will continue these dangerous activities regardless of the well known potential dangers.
Other examples of ?Harm Reduction Programs? include the ?gun buy back? and ?needle exchange? programs. A ?gun buy back? program is used as an attempt to get as many illegal guns off the street as possible by buying back guns from the public in exchange for cash. The ?needle exchange? programs are generally used to trade out ?dirty? needles in exchange for ?clean? needles for either low or no income IV drug users as a way to limit the spread of disease through the use of contaminated needles.
These programs are generally set up by either government groups or non-profit organizations as an attempt to reduce risk to these individuals and also to help protect the surrounding local communities as well.
The adult industry testing system works exactly the same way. Although, the industry has established its own additional recommended procedures to further reduce performer risk:
1. Performers were previously advised to get tested every 30 days. After the recent increase in positive testing results it was determined by the FSC that the guidelines should be changed and they now recommend performers to get tested every 14 days therefore limiting the amount of time between exposure periods from 30 days to 14 days.
2. Most performers are encouraged to get tested at a PASS-approved testing center. Once test results are determined, the positive or negative test results will be entered into the PASS database by an employee of the testing center as either ?Pass? or ?Fail? to inform producers whether performers are currently infected or tested negative for each test. On set, performers will then use these same test results to verify clean test results for the next 14 days to work with other talent.
There is always a possibility that a performer could become infected within that 14 day period between testing dates and then not find out they had been infected until their next test date. This also means any performer who works with the (unknown) infected performer could potentially be infected as well and will not find out until their next testing date which could be anywhere between 1 or even 14 days later.
This cycle continues until the disease or infection is caught before infecting anyone else or a moratorium is issued to shut down the industry (see below). The performer test results you will be given ONLY show that the performer tested negative on the DAY of their test. It doesn?t mean they?re not currently infected.
3. For many of the more serious diseases such as HIV, the FSC may issue a moratorium on all filming. This essentially serves to shut the industry down in order for the infected performer and their doctor to track all sexual partners.
The exposed performers who are currently included in the PASS database will be re-tested and if they test positive also then their exposed partners will be re-tested until all current PASS performers have tested negative. Before the moratorium is lifted, all current PASS performers must re-test before shooting any new scenes.
Since the FSC is not a regulatory agency moratoriums cannot be enforced and are sometimes ignored.
4. The FSC strongly recommends that adult performers practice safe sex in their personal lives by using condoms (or only engaging in sexual activity with other tested performers within the industry). Unless your partner is currently being tested within the industry, you are urged to always use condoms. This includes spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, escorting and/or casual encounters.
As you may have noticed, the testing system relies heavily on the usage of the age-old ?honor system.? The most important aspect of the testing system to remember is that just because you are being diligent about your health by using condoms or avoiding IV drug use, etc. DOES NOT mean your partners are as responsible as you.
You should have an enormous amount of trust in every other performer you will have any contact with. It may benefit you to also look up who they have recently performed with to ensure you have a level of trust in them as well.
I began writing this article last week after viewing the Porn 101 video. Recently, I?ve heard statements from industry leaders saying that Measure B wouldn?t have passed if the industry wouldn?t have waited so long to act. The industry leaders have mentioned that the public just didn?t understand the industry?s wonderful testing system. I would kindly argue that maybe the public actually DOES, in fact, have a better understanding of the industry testing system which may be exactly why Measure B passed. Just a thought.
**Please note: I welcome feedback on any portion of this article. Whether you think I have incorrectly stated something or would like to see something important added that I may have missed, please let me know.
You can always leave a comment below, contact me via Twitter or even e-mail Mike and he will forward to me. I am more than willing to change, correct, update or clarify any information contained in this article as I see fit. Also, this is not medical advice. I?m an accountant, not a doctor. I can?t answer your medical questions. Sorry. **
~Lacey
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