Report cites continued porn HIV risks.

Approximately a year and a half after an HIV outbreak shut down production in the adult entertainment industry for two months, a recent investigation by a health publication has found the industry still isn't doing enough to prevent another outbreak and risks the threat of another production

However, opinion within the industry remains mixed about whether or not events similar to last year's outbreak have the potential to occur again.

In particular, the writers of the report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly decried the lack of condom usage in the heterosexual porn industry. Currently, Cahuenga Pass-based Vivid Entertainment and Canoga Park-based Wicked Pictures are the only heterosexual adult entertainment companies that maintain mandatory condom policies. According to Peter Kerndt, a contributor to the report and the director of the STD Program for Los Angeles County Department of Health the only way to prevent another outbreak is to mandate condoms on every shoot.

"The adult entertainment workers are subjected to extraordinary health risks that regrettably are nearly completely ignored by the industry. Those who work in this industry are not afforded the same protections that would normally be there, such as making employers responsible and obligated to provide the means to mitigate the health risk," Kerndt said. "Many companies have not stepped up to consistently ensure that their workers are protected. It's their responsibility to ensure that STD screening is done and that it's paid for and that the performers are provided with condoms and that their exposures are minimized through correct and consistent use of condoms for all sexual exposures."

In general, financial concerns are often cited as the main reason why companies have not gone condom only. Many firms are wary that these types of policies might adversely impact sales for their firms. However, Vivid Entertainment is undoubtedly the industry powerhouse and has gone condom only since its inception.

"In regards to protection, we feel that our mandatory condom policy does protect our performers against sexually transmitted disease on our sets," Steven Hirsch, Vivid's co-founder and co-chairman, said. "Though we believe that these testing policies used by most companies is satisfactory, it is still our choice at this time to maintain our mandatory condom policy. Additionally, in the event of a production shutdown, Vivid typically has at least one year's worth of movies produced so there would be no change in our release schedule."