The Free Speech Coalition recently received some inquiries from performers about whether or not there may be any increased incidence of STIs in the PASS system. They looked into it, and the following is their statement (reprinted in full from the FSC blog here):
Over the past week, FSC has been contacted by adult performers concerned as to whether there could be an increased incidence of gonorrhea in the PASS pool. In some cases, information shared on social media suggested possible exposures.
PASS doctors, and industry affiliated clinics, have looked into this situation and have not noticed or found anything that would indicate a greater prevalence of the STI among PASS performers. While the PASS system does use testing to detect and prevent people with STIs from working on adult sets, there has been no statistical change in that either — meaning there are no more performers marked as unavailable then previously.
We have also investigated some specific situations, including some where PASS protocols were not adequately followed, and paid for retests for the performers who were concerned about the potential for exposure. All performers tested clear. While we could not find evidence of actual STI transmissions, or any statistical increase, in conversations with performers and producers, we identified two specific areas of concern:
Instances of performer availability not being verified in PASS (paper or PDF tests)
Medical treatment without confirmatory testing
The PASS database (www.fscpass.com) is the only effective way to verify if someone you are working with has tested clear of STIs, and is accessible free of charge to all industry professionals, including performers, producers, directors, and talent agents.
Any performer who fears they may have been exposed to an STI should always get tested, even if they are simultaneously starting treatment. Not only will the test determine whether or not there was an actual infection, but it also makes it possible to correctly determine whether others might have been exposed, and whether there is any increased risk to the performer pool.
We will continue to monitor the situation and will keep the industry informed.
