Porn Clinic Loses License

A health clinic known to service the pornography industry in Los Angeles was denied a license to operate Tuesday by the California Department of Public Health.

The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, known as AIM, applied for the license in June, after representatives from the department said they needed to do so in order to remain in operation, according to the Los Angeles Times. Adult film studios rely on AIM to test performers for various sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

The rejection comes after porn performer Derrick Burts tested positive for HIV in October. Several studios voluntarily shut down productions for a month until other actors that Burts performed with had tested negative for the virus.

Burts, who was known as "Patient Zeta" before he revealed his identity this week, is known to gay porn viewers as Derek Chambers, and in straight films, Cameron Reid. He said he got tested for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases regularly at AIM because he was working on both gay and straight porn films at the advice of his agent. But Burts said he grew more disappointed with AIM's care and turned to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which advocates the use of condoms in all adult films, and more stringent workplace conditions for porn actors.

In a statement released Wednesday, AIM said Burts probably contracted HIV from someone in his personal sex life.