LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County’s public health director said Tuesday that the San Fernando Valley clinic where a porn actor tested HIV-positive last week has delayed reporting test results to the county, but does not appear to have violated regulations.
By law, local health care providers are required to report confirmed HIV tests to the department within seven days. The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, known as AIM, had an HIV-positive PCR-DNA test Oct. 9, but is still awaiting results of a second, confirming Western Blot test from an outside lab, according to Karen Tynan, a lawyer for the clinic.
“”AIM will provide the report immediately upon receipt from the lab. There has been and there will be no delays,”” Tynan said.
Clinic officials released a statement last week saying they are only required to report to the county after “”return of a Western Blot test,”” which takes one week to get results.
“”Los Angeles County does not, and cannot under law, accept any other test results,”” according to the statement.
But Fielding said the Western Blot test — a more comprehensive test that generally takes longer for results — is not required and that health care providers often report the initial PCR-DNA test results to the department.
Fielding questioned why AIM officials quarantined adult performers last week, posting the statement on their website, if they did not think the first test was conclusive.
“”Why isn’t it good enough to report to the health department?”” he said. “”Obviously it’s considered important enough to be actionable. We need to have information as soon as possible.””
Fielding said Tuesday that the department had still not received information from AIM about when the individual tested positive or when the Western Blot test was ordered. He reiterated his position that condom use and safe-sex protections for the porn industry need to be enforced by the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
Officials from the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation who have pushed for more enforcement of condom use, testing and other safe-sex practices in the porn industry called on Los Angeles County supervisors and the public health department Tuesday to better regulate the clinic and the industry.
“”The clinic has not complied with getting the incident of HIV reported to public health officials,”” Ged Kenslea, a spokesman for the group, said during the supervisors’ meeting. “”This is 10 days and counting.””