Overview of 2009 HIV Situation from AIM Healthcare Foundation

Overview of 2009 HIV Situation from AIM Healthcare Foundation.

OUR MISSION

The Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation is a non-profit corporation created to care for the physical and emotional needs of sex workers and the people who work in the Adult Entertainment Industry. Through our HIV and STD testing and treatment, our counseling, and support-group programs, we are happy to be serving the sex worker community. Our goal is to provide health care for the body, mind, emotion, and spirit, as well as to take a leadership position in promoting safe and responsible sexual behavior, not only for the adult entertainment industry, but for everyone.


In regards to the recent false accusations reported by LADHS and LA Times stating that AIM had "hidden from our Adult Industry Population" somewhere between 16 and 22 cases of HIV in the Adult Industry, depending on which news article you read. This article was printed and reprinted by several news sources, without any verification or fact checking with AIM whatsoever. The stories were numerous, exaggerated, and reported as "breaking news". Dr. Jonathan Fielding the Chief Medical Director of LADHS issued these statements and was quoted personally. In fact, the retraction was printed, one sentence, somewhere in the bowels of LA Times, days later. And it read;
"LA County Health Officer, Dr. Jonathan Fielding said the Department of Public Health did little investigation into those cases and do not know whether they are active performers."

When the LA Times asked for a comment on the retraction, they declined.

FACT: The exact number of HIV Positive Adult Industry performers since 2004 totals Five people, four performers in the 2004 HIV positive case, and one performer in 2009. In this most recent case, AIM put 19 people on quarantine, both Industry and non, and this transmission was determined by AIM to have occurred outside of the Adult Performer population.

AIM confirmatory protocols include additional early detection testing, as well as STD testing which was performed by AIM free of charge and all individuals continue to remain negative.

AIM protocols and recommendations include routine early detection testing by HIV PCR/DNA typically every two weeks to 30 days performers screen to monitor the presence of the Inhibitory Substance of HIV. This test has been without fail, of service to AIM as it has detected HIV as early as 10 days after exposure. AIM IS A HARM REDUCTION MODEL. Meaning that we meet this specific population according to what they are willing to do about their choices when it comes to HIV, and STDs. This VOLUNTARY SYSTEM as we indicate over 98% compliance with our Adult Industry population. AIM also has always and continues to serve the general population and local and national communities, as we are currently available in all 50 US States.

Condom Issues. The Adult Industry population is adverse to using condoms. AIM does provide condoms for those performers and companies who use them. Adult Industry talent work for many different companies, some condom, some non-condom.