6-12-09

A series of half truths and innuendos have been circulated regarding a recent incident of an HIV positive test result. Here are the facts.

For the record, AIM follows to the letter all required protocols and reporting structures, and does not make judgment calls as to which agency is to receive reports of positive testing for HIV or STD's. AIM is told to whom it is to report positive results, and, as in the current situation, follows such guidance completely.

On June 4th a performer currently working in the industry was tested for a number of different tests. On June 6th a preliminary report came in indicating that the performer had tested positive for HIV, by PCR/DNA. The performer was immediately called in to AIM, and received additional testing to avoid a false positive. The performer was instructed not to engage in any sexual activity pending receipt of written results. Since AIM does not authorize performer's to work, but merely reports their current status to the industry, there is no way that the performer in question could believe that anyone at AIM told them they were cleared to work unless a negative written report had been received and the industry so notified.

Due to AIM's extensive data base, all of the partners and their partners were notified to come in for testing, and in fact all have been tested and preliminary reports indicate all are negative. AIM, as is their protocol, notified the County Health Department's HIV Epidemiology division of a possible HIV infection. However, since they did not have the results of the other tests given, or any written report, AIM could not disclose the name of the person involved.

As to reports of other HIV cases not being disclosed, it is clear that most occurred under prior law which only required that the incident be reported and the postal zone address and a partial social security number of the person testing positively be disclosed. As to their being "unpublicized", the AIM data base, which is used by all production companies, lists actors and their current testing results. When an individual desires to go into the industry, he or she must initially be tested by AIM to go into the data base. If they test positively, they do not go into the data base and cannot work in the industry.

An LA Times article set forth the number of working actors who tested positively for non HIV STDs. LA County got these names and numbers from AIM, which always cooperates under the required protocols.