Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation#Patient database breach
{{Short description|American nonprofit organization}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation
| logo =
| logo_alt =
| caption =
| abbreviation = AIM
| formation = {{start date and age|1998}}
| founders = Sharon Mitchell
| dissolved = {{End date and age|2011}}
| location_city = San Fernando Valley, Sherman Oaks, and Granada Hills, California
| location_country = United States
| services = STD testing of pornographic performers for HIV and other STDs on a scheduled basis
| membership =
| membership_year =
| website = {{url|http://www.aim-med.org}}
}}
The Adult Industry Medical Associates P.C. (formerly Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation), also known simply as AIM or AIM Medical, was a non-profit organization devoted to STD testing of pornographic performers for HIV and other STDs on a scheduled basis. Founded in 1998 by former pornographic film actress, Sharon Mitchell, AIM went out of business in 2011 after licensing issues, and a data breach and lawsuit regarding the violation of patient privacy.
History
Since the 1980s, outbreaks of HIV/AIDS within the community of erotic actors caused a number of deaths. In response to this threat AIM was founded in 1998 by former pornographic film actress, Sharon Mitchell, who had left the industry in 1996 to pursue credentials in public health counseling and sexology.{{cite news
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/10/us/voice-of-health-in-a-pornographic-world.html
|title=Voice of Health in a Pornographic World
|accessdate=February 26, 2007
|author=Nick Madigan
|date=May 10, 2004
|work=The New York Times
The Foundation helped set up a system in the U.S. wherein erotic actors in the adult film industry are tested for AIDS every 30 days. All on-camera sexual contact is logged, and a positive test result triggers the contacting and re-testing of all sexual partners during the previous three to six months. The Foundation provided secure means of sharing results via their web servers so that results cannot be forged. Prior to AIM, there had been STD testing programs in lifestyle communities, including Kerista Commune, More University, and Rajneeshpuram. These approaches had mixed results and were less systematic and regular.
Tests for the sex industry actors were done at the Foundation's offices in San Fernando Valley, Sherman Oaks, and Granada Hills.{{cite news
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/17/us/hiv-cases-shut-down-pornography-film-industry.html
|title=H.I.V. Cases Shut Down Pornography Film Industry
|work=The New York Times
|author=Nick Madigan
|date=April 17, 2004
|accessdate=March 20, 2008
}} Each month, about 1,200 actors were tested for HIV, with results as early as 14 days after infection. This test is effective 10 days after potential infection, and anytime thereafter (HIV-1 DNA, by PCR) as compared to the alternative HIV test (HIV ELISA) which requires a six-month waiting period to be effective.{{cite web
|url=https://www.sxcheck.com/view/test/GetTested/
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610153516/http://www.sxcheck.com/view/test/GetTested
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=June 10, 2008
|title=Test Selection – Comprehensive Panel – HIV/AIDS Premium Test
|publisher=SxCheck
|accessdate=March 20, 2008
}} The center also tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.{{cite news
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/02/opinion/how-to-put-condoms-in-the-picture-430110.html
|title=How to Put Condoms in the Picture
|work=The New York Times
|author=Sharon Mitchell
|date=May 2, 2004
|accessdate=March 20, 2008
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080229135313/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E6DF153DF931A35756C0A9629C8B63| archivedate= February 29, 2008 | url-status= dead}}
It was in 2004 that AIM assisted in the sex-film-industry shutdown, a quarantine that lasted fewer than 60 days. A male performer, Darren James, had tested positive for HIV in April and, to prevent another HIV outbreak, an urgent search was initiated for his potentially infected partners. A total of four more performers, Bianca Biaggi, Jessica Dee, Lara Roxx, and Miss Arroyo were diagnosed with the virus by the end of the testing rounds, including one unrelated case in New York.{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/30/us/new-hiv-infection-found-in-sex-film-industry.html|title= New H.I.V. Infection Found in Sex-Film Industry|accessdate=March 20, 2008|author= Nick Madigan|date= April 30, 2004|work=The New York Times}} James had apparently had contact with 12 women since his initial negative HIV test in March upon his return from a Brazilian film shoot.{{cite web|url=http://www.adultfyi.com/read.php?ID=22883 |title=Lara Roxx Timeline Begs Questions: Darren James got it from Lara Roxx, not the other way around? |author=Gene Ross |publisher=Adult FYI |date=May 27, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313070354/http://www.adultfyi.com/read.php?ID=22883 |archivedate=March 13, 2008 }}{{cite news|url= https://www.latimes.com/la-041604adult-g-graphic.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150901081614/http://www.latimes.com/la-041604adult-g-graphic.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= September 1, 2015|title=Pyramid of potential infection|work=Los Angeles Times|date= April 16, 2004|accessdate=March 20, 2008|quote= Time line of potential first and second generation infections}}
In 2009, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles Times claimed there were 16 unreported cases of HIV among adult film actors.{{cite news
|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/at-least-16-previously-unpublicized-hiv-cases-in-porn-film-performers-public-health-officials-say.html|title=At least 16 previously unpublicized HIV cases|work=Los Angeles Times|date= June 11, 2009|accessdate=June 11, 2009|quote= Los Angeles County officials released public health data this afternoon indicating that 16 previously unpublicized cases of HIV had been confirmed in adult film industry performers since 2004 when an outbreak shut down porn production for a month.
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090615065230/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/at-least-16-previously-unpublicized-hiv-cases-in-porn-film-performers-public-health-officials-say.html| archivedate= June 15, 2009 | url-status= live}} AIM Health Care Foundation reported that these cases were actually members of the general public or people applying to work in the adult film industry that had not yet actually worked in films due to their initial test being positive.{{cite web|url= http://www.aim-med.org/news/2009/06/12/1244838040/|archive-url= https://archive.today/20090615083151/http://www.aim-med.org/news/2009/06/12/1244838040/|url-status= usurped|archive-date= June 15, 2009|title= News 6/12/09|publisher= AIM|date= June 12, 2009|accessdate=June 12, 2009|quote= This is why they are not "publicized" as they had never fulfilled the desire to work in Adult Entertainment, due to the positive test.}}
On October 12, 2010, the Foundation reported that an actor or actress had been infected with HIV. The name and gender of the person was not released to the public.{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/porn-actor-has-tested-positive-for-hiv-industry-clinic-officials-confirm.html|title=Porn Actor has Tested Positive for HIV; Industry Clinic Officials Confirm a Quarantine is in Effect|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 12, 2010|accessdate=October 13, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101013025742/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com//lanow//2010//10//porn-actor-has-tested-positive-for-hiv-industry-clinic-officials-confirm.html| archivedate= October 13, 2010 | url-status= live}} Vivid Entertainment and Wicked Pictures shut down porn production temporarily to avoid spreading of the virus. Although Wicked Pictures has a mandatory condom policy, the company shut down to wait for the quarantine list.{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/wicked-pictures-suspends-production-as-precaution-following-new-hiv-case-in-porn-performer-.html|title=Wicked Pictures and Vivid Entertainment Suspend Production as a Precaution Amid New HIV Case in Porn Performer|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 12, 2010|accessdate=October 13, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101016193546/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/wicked-pictures-suspends-production-as-precaution-following-new-hiv-case-in-porn-performer-.html| archivedate= October 16, 2010 | url-status= live}}
In early 2011, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation publicly raised questions about AIM clinics' licensing situation, resulting in a shutdown. Later that year, the foundation reopened under private ownership, but this was short-lived.{{cite web|last1=Stevens|first1=Sara|title=Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation|url=https://www.stdaware.com/std-resource-center/orgs/adult-industry-medical-healthcare-foundation|publisher=STDAware|accessdate=July 21, 2017|language=en|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214125215/https://www.stdaware.com/std-resource-center/orgs/adult-industry-medical-healthcare-foundation|url-status=dead}}
SxCheck
In 2006, AIM started offering online services for selecting, scheduling, and paying for tests in affiliation with local clinics and laboratories in many cities via the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170613234438/https://www.sxcheck.com/ SxCheck] (alternatively AIM Check) website.{{cite web
|url = http://sxcheck.com/AskMitch/
|title = Ask Dr Mitch
|author = Sharon Mitchell
|publisher = SxCheck
|accessdate = March 20, 2008
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080322073821/http://sxcheck.com/AskMitch/
|archivedate = March 22, 2008
|url-status = dead
|df = mdy-all
}} With secure online access to test results, faking of paper test results was prevented, and workers could select to privately share the results with others online, by email, or by SMS.{{cite magazine
|url=https://www.wired.com/2006/10/stop-sex-infections-the-smart-way/
|title=STOP SEX INFECTIONS THE SMART WAY
|magazine=Wired
|publisher=Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation
|accessdate=December 21, 2018
}}
Patient database breach
AIM Medical's patient database was the source of a massive 2011 data leak containing confidential personal information, including the real names of over 12,000 pornographic actors and their STD test results, which was distributed via the Porn Wikileaks website{{cite news| url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/porn-actors-personal-information-hiv-status-released-through-california-health-clinic-report-says/ | publisher=Fox News | title=Porn Actors' Personal Information, HIV Status Released Through California Health Clinic, Report Says | date=March 31, 2011}} AIM closed its offices and filed for bankruptcy in May 2011 as a result of a privacy lawsuit challenging AIM's handling of the patient records.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/05/porn_clinic_closed_aim_testing.php|title=Porn Clinic AIM Closes For Good: Valley-Based Industry Scrambles to Find New STD Testing System|last=Dennis Romero|date=May 3, 2011|work=LA Weekly|accessdate=May 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507015636/http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/05/porn_clinic_closed_aim_testing.php|archive-date=May 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Mitchell|title=How a Straight Adult Performer Convinced Me That Condoms Are Useless in Porn|date=November 21, 2012|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mitchell-williams/how-a-straight-adult-performer-convinced-me-that-condoms-are-useless-in-porn_b_2165066.html|publisher=Huffington Press|accessdate=February 18, 2014}}{{cite web |last1=Chen |first1=Adrian |title=The Wikileaks Knockoff That Has the Porn Industry Terrified |url=https://jezebel.com/5788083/the-wikileaks-knockoff-that-has-the-porn-industry-terrified |website=Jezebel |date=April 1, 2011}}
See also
- {{slink|Free Speech Coalition|Performer Availability Screening Services}}
- Sexually transmitted infections in the pornography industry
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web |url= http://www.aim-med.org |title= Official Website |url-status= usurped |archive-date= February 3, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110203165827/http://www.aim-med.org/ |access-date= February 11, 2006 |df= mdy-all }}
Category:1998 establishments in the United States
Category:2011 disestablishments in the United States
Category:HIV/AIDS organizations in the United States
Category:Organizations disestablished in 2011
Category:Organizations established in 1998