Porn industry health clinic shut down by L.A. County health officials

[pinto]

Source: LA Times

Porn industry health clinic shut down by L.A. County health officials

By Molly Hennessy-Fiske
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 9, 2010, 11:32 a.m.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials have shut down the San Fernando-based health clinic that serves the porn industry.

"We've told the clinic they have to notify people of test results that have already been taken and make appropriate referrals. But they cannot provide new services," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, the county's public health director.

Fielding said county public health staff went to the clinic Thursday morning and issued a cease-and-desist order based upon state regulator's denial of the clinic's application for a community clinic license.

<snip>

The nonprofit AIM clinic opened in 1998. Fielding said county public health officials did not become aware that they were operating without a license until April. In May, he said they sent clinic officials a letter advising them that as a nonprofit, they could not operate under an affiliated physician's license and needed to apply instead for a clinic license. Fielding said former patients at the clinic are welcome to seek care at county clinics.

Porn producers had relied on the clinic to maintain a database of performers' test results that they could check prior to filming. It was unclear what would become of that system.








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[struggle4progress]

1. They've been operating without a license for twelve years?

[pinto]

2. Got me. A lot of non-profits here in CA provide HIV testing - it's a cut-out from the standard STD

clinical regulations. If they were providing other STD testing, they'd require further state certification / MD oversight. So, this situation seems a bit hazy to me as reported.

:shrug:

[Xithras]

5. Not exactly. They've been operating with an incorrect license.

They were operating under an Affiliated Physicians license, which isn't allowed when you're a nonprofit. L.A. recently became aware of this, and notified them that they need a Clinic License instead. Their state application for a Clinic License was denied on Tuesday, so they shut them down this morning.

[struggle4progress]

3. Derrick Burts, HIV-positive porn actor: 'How many more times does this have to happen?'

Derrick Burts, the adult film performer who tested HIV-positive at a San Fernando Valley clinic this fall, ... had worked as a “crossover” star in gay and straight films for several months before learning in October that he was HIV-positive. He had last tested negative Sept. 3 ...

He disputed statements made last month by clinic officials that he had contracted the virus in his personal sex life.

He said clinic staff told him he had contracted the disease from a fellow performer who was HIV-positive, described to him as a “known positive.” Burts said he asked them if the “known positive” was a male performer he had worked with on a gay film shoot in Florida, but they told him they could not disclose the performer’s name or gender due to patient confidentiality.

Burts said he suspected he may have contracted HIV at that shoot because although he used a condom, he removed it during some oral sex scenes. He said clinic staff also told him that another male crossover performer had tested HIV positive, unrelated to his case, and also declined to identify that performer ...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/12/hiv-infected-porn-actor-how-many-more-times-does-this-have-to-happen.html

[struggle4progress]

4. Porn industry clinic disputes Derrick Burts' claims that it failed to help him after he tested

HIV-positive

... He came forward Tuesday to complain that clinic staff promised to refer him to a doctor for follow-up care, then left him waiting for six weeks until he said he sought treatment at a center run by the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has campaigned against AIM.

Attorneys for the AIM clinic released a statement Wednesday afternoon that disputed Burts’ claims, without referring to him by name.

Karen Tynan and Jeffrey J. Douglas issued the statement after Burts held a news conference with AIDS Healthcare Foundation leaders at their Hollywood headquarters Wednesday to call for increased condom use and HIV testing for adult film performers.

“Patient Zeta was offered counseling, documentation of test results, and information and direction regarding resources and treatment,” the statement said. “Any statements made by Patient Zeta which portray AIM as not providing appropriate and proper services are not truthful and are self-serving.” ...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/12/derrick-burts-cameron-reed-derrick-chambers-porn-hiv-clinic-rebuttal.html