YNOT – After receiving confirmation of a potential risk of syphilis infection in the performer community, adult industry trade association Free Speech Coalition has asked studios and other producers of adult content to halt production until further notice.
Following several days of persistent rumors, last week two adult performers and one talent agency went public with allegations an unnamed “major male talent” tested positive for syphilis. Talent agent Shy Love said the allegedly infected performer was on her client roster, but she dropped him after he admitted to her that he altered a health-test report so he could perform in three scenes about which Love knew nothing until after filming.
The performer contacted FSC over the weekend, according to a spokesperson for the organization, and volunteered to assist FSC’s medical professionals with partner identification so others who may have been exposed to the disease can be evaluated and treated.
“FSC has called a temporary moratorium on production until the risk to performers in the industry has been properly assessed and all performers have been tested,” the organization noted in a prepared statement. “[Adult Production Health & Safety Services] doctors have met and discussed the best avenue to protect the performers and have determined that testing the entire population is the most prudent strategy.”
APHSS is operated by the FSC as an intra-industry health and workplace safety watchdog, notification agency and referral service. Through its partner clinics, APHSS is offering syphilis tests to all adult performers free of charge. A list of participating clinics is here.
Adult studios Manwin, Kink.com and Evil Angel halted production even before the FSC made its request. Metro Talent Management said its performers will be on hiatus until all of them have been tested.
“A determination will be made by the doctors on the appropriate time to lift the moratorium as more information is revealed,” the FSC’s statement noted.
The infected performer remains officially anonymous.
