Porn Industry Drags Its Feet on HIV Probe

Posted on Apr 16, 2011

Wikimedia Commons

A microscopic look at the human immunodeficiency virus that can lead to AIDS.

According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. porn industry attempted to block an investigation into the HIV infection of one of its actors, Derrick Burts, illustrating the dangers in an increasingly unregulated industry.

The investigation found that two porn actors who had sex with Burts were HIV-positive. Burts’ own HIV diagnosis in October shut down the production of several companies. —JCL

Los Angeles Times:

Health officials say two male porn actors were HIV-positive when they had sex with Derrick Burts, an adult film performer whose HIV diagnosis in October caused several large production companies to suspend filming.

The report indicated that adult film companies were stymieing the public health investigation into the HIV infection. “Limited cooperation from many adult film industry companies restricted this contact investigation. Rarely did industry legal counsel give information for investigation,” the report said.

The report, written by Dr. Francisco Meza, a physician with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Intelligence Service on loan to the California Department of Public Health, illustrated how public health officials have been unable to conduct an extensive, thorough investigation quickly.

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