It was November 7, 1991 when Earvin "Magic" Johnson announced to sports fans worldwide that he had been diagnosed with HIV and was retiring immediately from the Los Angeles Lakers. more ›

As a precaution the performer was retested, and the second batch of results have freed the actor of infection. The performer tested HIV negative. more ›

The news of a male adult film performer testing HIV-positive has not only suspended porn production but has also prompted the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) to file a sanitary nuisance health complaint with the Florida Department of Health. more ›

On the heels of LA's big porn convention, Exxxotica LA, comes the news that a porn performer has tested positive for HIV and production of adult films has temporarily been halted, reports NBC LA. The performer, whose name hasn't been released, reportedly took the test out of state and at a clinic that doesn't notify his or her partners of the test results. Free Speech Coalition, a trade coalition for the adult industry, learned about the results on Saturday and began notifying production companies. more ›

This month marks 30 years since the Centers for Disease Control published its first mention of AIDS, and today marks the start of HIV Testing Week in Los Angeles County. A county-wide effort is underway to make HIV testing as easy and convenient as possible for residents. more ›

AIM Medical Associates, formerly Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, has officially shut down. The clinic, located in the Valley, had been a go-to spot for porn performers to get STI and HIV testing. Founded in 1998, they were known for speedy results and a database that could be accessed by others in the industry to verify a clean bill of health. more ›

Officials from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health have shut down the Adult Industry Medical (AIM) clinic in Sherman Oaks, according to LA Now. The clinic had been operating without the appropriate license, and were denied their license on Tuesday. A cease-and-desist order was delivered to the clinic this morning. more ›

After months of silence, Derrick Burts, the 24-year-old adult film performer who tested positive for HIV at a Sherman Oaks clinic in October, spoke publicly for the first time yesterday, according to LA Now. His loud and clear message? Regular testing is not enough. Condoms should be mandatory in all porn productions. more ›

Today, an estimated 33 million people around the world are living with HIV, according to statistics shared by LA County officials. In Los Angeles County, an estimated 60,000* people live with HIV and/or AIDS. December 1st is World AIDS Day, and there are several events taking place today in Los Angeles in honor of this somber day of awareness and activism. more ›

About a month after an adult industry performer had tested positive for HIV, prompting a quarantine for some actors, things are getting back to normal. Adult Industry Medical Healthcare today said two generations of partners of the HIV-positive patient, known as Patient Zeta, have tested negative in a variety of tests, according to XBIZ. AIM said the patient received the virus through personal activity. more ›

The Sherman Oaks clinic favored by adult entertainment industry performers may have missed their legal deadline to report a recent HIV infection documented in their facility to the Los Angeles County Department of Health, according to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) who are closely monitoring the matter. more ›

For the second year in a row, adult entertainment studio Evil Angel has assembled a team of its talent to take part in AIDS Walk Los Angeles, which takes place this morning in West Hollywood. With 37 team members, Evil Angel has so far raised almost $12k for the cause. The team began mobilizing in June (link NSFW), prior to the recent reporting of an HIV case in the industry. Among the walkers are Evil Angel's John and Karen Stagliano, both of whom are HIV positive (link NSFW). Congrats & good luck to all the walkers. More: WeHo Street Closures for Today's AIDS Walk. more ›

News of an actor who has tested positive for HIV has put the spotlight on a heated debate between the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the adult entertainment industry. Although a quarantine has gone into effect and four production companies have voluntarily shut down for the time being, the nonprofit says it's not enough. more ›

An unidentified performer who has tested positive for HIV has sent waves through the adult entertainment industry, prompting a quarantine and a number of companies to halt production. So far, four have taken action: Vivid Entertainment, Wicked Pictures, Hustler Video and Digital Playground, according to the LA Times. more ›

A Sherman Oaks clinic frequented by performers in the adult entertainment industry has confirmed that one of their patients has tested positive for HIV, according to LA Now. Consequently, there is a quarantine in effect in the business which affects the individual's partners. more ›

No matter how much you bare and share while performing in an adult film, you are still entitled to you doctor-patient privilege. more ›

There 3,100 new HIV infections annually in Los Angeles County. Even worse, 70% of those new cases are spread by those who have HIV and do not even know it (that's about out of every five person who is HIV + ). And with Latinos making up the largest number of residents living with the STD, a number of health agencies are hosting Test Fest tomorrow in East L.A. They're calling it the largest HIV counseling and testing event in Southern California. more ›

It's already against the law expose workers directly to bodily fluids, but it's rarely enforced on porn sets where no condoms are used. Now the L.A.-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation has garnered attention via a petition filed with the state to further change the law to require condoms use on adult films, according to the LA Times. more ›

Thanks to the state, which eliminated 100%--about $82 million--of funds for AIDS programs last summer, addressing HIV prevention, testing, counseling and education has become a tougher battle to fight at the local level. more ›

So I have this long-standing date every November. I'm not meeting her for drinks, she's not that sexy nor will she kiss me when it's all over. What the hell kind of date is this? It's my annual trip to get tested for STDs, whether I've been naughty or nice, frisky or monogamous. more ›

White House leaders are coming to Los Angeles on Sunday to continue his tour for his National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion. "These Discussions, hosted by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), offer the public a chance to provide input as the White House works to fulfill the President’s pledge to develop a National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS)," explains a White House press release. more ›

Since taking office, President Obama has visited Los Angeles a couple of times, but today is his first San Francisco visit. Tonight will be a National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion at UCSF, which offers a chance for the public to provide input on combatting the disease. The White House says that more than 56,000 new HIV infections occurs each year in the U.S. Obama has three goals in his effort to... more ›

A state legislator is suing the Governor over budget cuts and so is everyone else, it seems. Today, you can add AIDS Project Los Angeles to the list. They contend that Schwarzenegger went beyond his authority by cutting $85 million from HIV/AIDS programs. Citing the state's Legislative Counsel Bureau, the APLA says Schwarzenegger was only allowed to make budget cuts to original budget appropriations, not to a bill passed last February. “In exceeding his power, the governor has singlehandedly dismantled a critical array of programs that protect the health of all Californians -- programs that ultimately save the state from far more catastrophic spending,” APLA Director Craig E. Thompson said. “The effects will be nothing short of devastating.” Los Angeles County has the second largest AIDS epidemic in the country and 7,000 people statewide are estimated to become HIV positive. A rally will be held at Pershing Square in downtown tonight at 7 p.m. followed by a short march to the Reagan State Office Building on Spring Street. 2,000 demonstrators are expected. more ›

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's line item cuts to the state budget on Tuesday drastically reduced many programs, including state parks and domestic violence funding. AIDS/HIV programs were also hit particularly bad to the tune of around $85 million, leaving the California’s Office of AIDS with only 20 percent of its funding for programs like HIV education and prevention, HIV counseling and testing, home health and early intervention. more ›

Sex in jail is illegal, but if it's going to happen, it had better be safe. At least that's the wisdom behind the eight-year-old program that "makes condoms available once a week to 300 inmates within the segregated unit" at the Men's Central Jail in Downtown Los Angeles, explains the Daily News. more ›

The porn industry's self regulation, albeit a good step, but never to the satisfaction of health officials, has been for the most part under the radar until cases like the one happening this week. Yesterday morning it was reported that one case of HIV was within the industry. Then in the afternoon, reports surfaced that there has been at least 16 since 2004, when the last reported group of performers tested positive for HIV. more ›

Adult Industry Medical Healthcare in Sherman Oaks. "The actress was involved in a small amount of films in a short period of time," said AIM administrator Brooke Hunter. "She still is in counseling." Her working partners have tested negative so far, but are under two 14-day quarantines getting tested again. "All required reporting has been complied with, as have the AIM and industry protocols," AIM said in a statement. "The investigation is ongoing. This is not a major event." more ›

LA City Beat has a great article today about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which can be 81 percent effective against the HIV virus after exposure. Problem is, while it's widely available for healthcare workers who accidently are exposed to blood and gay rape victims, it's pretty hard to find otherwise. PEP is actually a 30-day mix of pills that doctors fear would do much more harm to the spread of the virus than stopping it because those with PEP prescriptions might be encouraged to have less safe sex. “There’s a stigma when it comes to gay men,” Anthony Gutierrez of the LA Gay & Lesbian Center said. The Los Angeles Free Clinic didn't want to comment on the drug and another clinic only spoke to the weekly if they could remain anonymous. more ›

It's hard to believe, but December 1, 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Today we come together as friends and family, as a city, as a state, as a country, and (most importantly) as a global community to educate and inform on the world AIDS epidemic. While others will (and should) debate the politics of this crisis, we here at the ScientIST feel it’s our duty to share some basic Health 101 behind the virus, transmission, and prevention. We turn to the experts at the Center for Disease Control for the latest in on-going research. more ›