OP/ED by Cindi
Okay, so you go get tested at TTS for free, and even get a gift card too! Problem is… this is for a study, meaning they are going to compile the results and announce them. So although everyone’s STD history was protected under HIPPA, the results of the study are not private. I am sure you will sign something giving them a right to use your results. It’s doubtful they would want to put out any names, but they WILL be putting up the statistics they come up with. I’m also betting that before your "free" test you will be asked to give a sexual history of how many partners, previous STD’s etc. And I’m hearing that Adult Healthcare Foundation is involved. We know what results they WANT to find. Of course I can’t say that the results published won’t be truthful, I have no way of knowing that, but any study can be skewed toward the desired results, even in the wording of the questions asked. What I can say is that I am betting the desired results of this "STUDY" are to find the porn industry full of STDs & hundreds of partners. How will that look when it is written up for the tax payers voting on the "condom ordinance"? And when the results are slanted in a way to reflect badly on the adult industry (& I think they will be) how much more government interference will take hold in porn?
In the below press release they say they are testing for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia. They do not mention HIV. Somehow HIV testing is also going to get into this study. I would almost guarantee it.
I have a feeling that this testing will be done with a high number of gay male talent, including those who have STD’s and/or are HIV+. (because many in the gay industry use condoms, and not testing) Do you know what kind of results that will show? There will be a huge STD numbers. And when everything is published, it won’t divide the industry into gay and straight. It will just say "porn performers", which will make the numbers look like many performers are infected with STDs and working in the porn industry.
Are Civilians reading a story in the LA Times going to say, well I bet this test used a lot of gay male performers which is why the numbers are high? No, they are going to see it as all porn being that way. And this is exactly what AHF & Weinstein want overall, to turn the regular mom & pop voters against porn and regulate it out of business.
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Press release put out by TTS-
TALENT TESTING SERVICE, INC. PARTNERS WITH UCLA ON SEXUAL HEALTH STUDY. August, 9, 2012 – Miami, FL – Talent Testing Service, Inc. (TTS) announces a partnership program with the University of California, Los Angeles for a sexual health study. Conducted by UCLA researchers, the study is designed to examine the presence of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in urine, rectal and throat test samples. Any current or new TTS clients may opt in to receive the free additional testing and will be compensated $40.00 for participation and $10 for each additional person that participates via their referral. All testing is completely confidential.
Interested clients will be processed as follows:
1. Go to the Northridge, California office.
2. Opt in to participate in the study.
3. Read and sign an Informed Consent Form (ICF).
4. Samples will be collected.
5. Complete a brief electronic questionnaire on a tablet (i.e. i-Pad)
6. Receive a US $40.00 gift card.
Participants who test positive for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia will be provided with treatment supervised by a physician at no cost.
This partnership supports TTS’s ongoing commitment to the most advanced infectious molecular testing for the adult industry. Since 2006, TTS has offered testing for HIV RNA via the FDA approved PCR test that detects the presence of the HIV virus earlier than all other tests. The company offers affordable testing options including a Basic Panel (HIV, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea) for $110, and a Full Panel (HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C) for $150.
Talent Testing Service, Inc. caters to their clients by providing the most up-to-date technology. The company uses QR Codes for validating printed test results, as well as a convenient mobile page for verification of authenticity on-demand and access to actual test results. Producers/Agents as well as Talents are provided with a personal online dashboard that provides access to historical and most recent testing information. Furthermore, Talents can set up automatic reminders for next test dates.
About Talent Testing Service, Inc. (TTS)
Talent Testing Service, Inc. (TTS) provides safe, courteous, affordable, and convenient talent testing through wholly owned subsidiaries or collaborating sites. Since 2006, TTS has provided the most advanced infectious molecular testing for the adult industry. TTS is a privately held company with headquarters in Miami, Florida and a subsidiary office in Los Angeles, CA.
https://www.talenttestingservice.com
info@talenttestingservice.com
I caught this too…If the FSC is being truthful when they say our STD rates are way below average this would be a huge benefit to us as an industry.
if they are lying as everyone pretty much knows they are, this study could be used against us.
Either way, however I suspect that participation in studies like this one would help our industry immeasurably over the long haul. It defrays testing costs, it provides data and information that can be used to make our industry better and it gives us, as an industry a chance to do something that helps mankind in some way.
Just think If AIM had starting doing this sort of thing back when I suggested, over ten years ago….We probably wouldn’t be looking at condom legislation right now, instead we could have worked out an acceptable solution, within the industry instead of government doing it for us….
If anything involves the AHF and Weinstein you can guarantee its there to fuck the porn industry over.
Mike, please show us proof of when you suggested, “over ten years ago,” that the adult industry should take part in university sponsored studies on STIs. I’d be interested to see that.
third axis if you read my site over the years the first mention was in 2003 and has been mentioned many times since, participating in studies like this would have been good we have the worlds best study group for std research….as a result aim should have been world class instead of a joke.
and as for AHF they are not involved in that study in any way shape or form, just because UCLA said they support the condom initiative doesnt have any connection to this study. And had we been doing things like this years ago UCLA might be saying right now that they DONT support the condom initiative but its all irrelevant now condoms are coming and thats all there is to it
oh and third axis here is a post from 2006 I found very quickly…theres more
Taking Aim At AIM:
Whatever the differences it is shameful what has become of AIM. It had the potential to be a world class facility. It certainly has what is likely the worlds best study group for STDs.
Of course what happened is that Sharon Mitchell’s vanity got in the way. You note here that I do not call her Phd or Dr. Or make the literary mistake that AVN always does by using both titles (Dr Sharon Mitchell, PhD),
Sharon is not a doctor or a Phd as my regular readers know. The school that sold her, her PhD is not really any different than me giving you a PhD in Pornography and Insensitivity and making you pay for it and write a few commentaries that I publish here. Actually that’s not true…I would hold you to higher standards.
And what happened when we did get an HIV Infection in the biz courtesy of Darren James/Laura Roxx? Sharon didn’t even know how to properly calculate the window of direct exposure missing the mark by 30 days, and I dont mean she err’d on the side of caution. She greenlighted people who had been directly exposed potentially. It’s a good thing that HIV is actually veryu hard to catch or a good portion of Porn Valley would be taking the eternal celestial dirt nap by now.
You haven’t heard too much out of AIM lately, plans to bring in a board of real doctors were either never followed through on or squashed by Mitchell. So whatever it is Kernes and Margold are arguing about is kinda like arguing over whether or not your retarded kid in special ed is smarter than all the other retarded kids in special ed.
At least, that’s the way I see it.
All you did was give us an old op-ed bashing Sharon Mitchell and AIM. I know you’ve been doing that for a long time; however, that’s not what I asked you to provide.
Just give one example of your written support for a university sponsored study of STIs from “over a decade ago.” A simple request, Mike.
Absolutely, Cindi. To have AHF involved in this study, in any capacity, is like having Big Pharma sponsor a study on the effects of prescription medications. The results are predetermined. It’s laughable.
I urge all adult performers, DO NOT participate in this study.
It’s too bad we don’t employ the same skepticism about everything else we’re told, including foundations which fund studies steered to fulfil agendas. Those foundations control the dollars and thus the proclamations of doctors, scientists, politicians, education and mass media.
The Industry can’t say working conditions are safe and then refuse to participate in a survey examining the accuracy of such a statement.
“Of course I can’t say that the results published won’t be truthful, I have no way of knowing that, but any study can be skewed toward the desired results, even in the wording of the questions asked.”
And then we can debate methodology–but not to participate is simply ridiculous.
People in this industry are not cowards. C’mon now…
I’m not pro-condom, but we need to get closer to figuring out the truth so this industry can be easier on performers…
WHOOPS! Sorry Jeremy, I misread your post. nevermind this post. Sorry. You really are a cool guy.
This is really old news, regarding this thread. We just had a major Syphillis outbreak in the valley and with alterted TTS test involved. Male talent is from Shy Loves talent. Hmmmmmm? wonder who that could have been?
You’re wrong, again, origen. To choose to not participate is certainly not an implication of cowardice, and not ridiculous. In the absence of specific information regarding: who is involved (if the AHF, then this study is immediately suspect); how the data will be assigned or broken down; privacy and security of data and of the subjects taking part in the study—I would not recommend the participation of the adult performer community. Those are more than adequate grounds for suspicion.
To say, “Hey, kids, they’re conducting a study at UCLA! Let’s all give them our blood DNA samples!” without having a lot more information upon which to base that decision, is foolish. And to lump hetero adult performers—professional sex workers—in with a broadly random control group makes no sense whatsoever. What precise data can UCLA possibly obtain form such a random study that will pinpoint the health and safety of adult performers, when that group is simply lumped in with every other participant? It’s just senseless, so why bother?
This whole thing seems loaded with negative intent.
I wouldn’t have even ever thought u were talkin to me
Origen, if you think handing a bunch of raw data to long-standing avowed enemies of the adult industry will get anyone closer to “the truth” then I have a bridge to sell you.
These are the same people who continue to recite the debunked “20 unreported cases of HIV among performers” BS.
And of course, like the other enemies of the porn industry, South is all for it.
Ok, I was moderated on this thread earlier. Why, fer cryin’ out loud? Because I used “AHF” ?! Fer fuck sake!
Nah Jeremy, I wrote something previously for Comment #9 and realized it was a mistake.
All I can say is that I mistrusted Manwin and their testing subsidy. I thought they were doing it because they wanted to make things safer. I didn’t realize they had an angle. They really are a bunch of assholes after all…
@ Mike South,
You are forever trashing Sharon Mitchell but she did a fabulous job handling the various HIV outbreaks during AIM’s existence. She would have handled this current syphilis outbreak a lot better than the current organizations. Industry knowledge of a disease risk level is critical and Sharon was very good about that.
AIM also provided a community where healthcare professionals were able to establish long-standing relationships with performers.
Yeah, they fucked up when it came to HIPAA but, on the whole, AIM was an excellent resource. Sharon Mitchell should try again…