When Talent Testing announced recently they were adding a free HIV testing to their ‘gold panel’ for adult performers, the FSC and others said it wasn’t needed. Just a few weeks later it was revealed that Nacho Vidal was HIV positive and had been for years, this despite the fact that he had been tested numerous times since then and appeared to clear. This is because he was on his medication and at the time of testing at least, had suppressed his viral load.
But as many others have said before, just because you are okay today, doesn’t mean you’ll stay that way. There are many things that can change that including accidentally missing doses, taking certain over the counter medications, drinking large amounts of alcohol, and partying and taking some not so legal drugs.
Now all of Europe is on a mandatory moratorium, while they test all the first and hopefully second-generation exposures. There are also rumored to be more than a handful of 2nd generation exposures in our own talent pool here in the US.
So yes, Nacho Vidal testing positive for HIV is a very big deal.
So now the question is, what are the difference in tests between that which you get at Talent Testing and that which you get at CET?
If you go to CET you will get the following tests for $165.
- HIV-1 RNA
- RPR
- Trep-Sure
- Hep Bs Antigen
- Hep C Antibody
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Trichomoniasis
CET does an HIV test called the HIV-1 RNA. Google tells us that Rapid HIV tests screen antibodies so require a 12-week window period for an accurate result. After 12 weeks, this test is highly accurate, 99.68%.
99.68% accuracy on a blood draw is pretty darn accurate. But that being said, there is a downside to this test. The RNA test is known as a viral load test. HIV viral load testing measures the amount of HIV genetic material (RNA) in the blood and reports how many copies of the virus are present. If someone like in the case of Nacho Vidal is able to suppress his viral load through medication, he will, “PASS” this test and be cleared to work.
If you go to Talent Testing you will get the following tests for $155.
- HIV-1 NAT
- HIV Ag/Ab
- HBsAg
- Anti-HCV
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Trichomonas Vaginalis
- Syphilis (RPR)
- TREP-SURE EIA
Talent Testing uses two different kinds of HIV tests. The first is called HIV-1 NAT. The average window for this test is about 22 days – far superior to the 12-week window with the test given at CET.
In addition, you will also get a test called HIV Ag/Ab. This is the test that the Free Speech Coalition and a few others were up in arms about. This is what they call an antibody test. This means that anyone who is HIV will test positive even if their viral load is suppressed, simply because they have the antibodies in their system.
This not only helps detect new infections with great accuracy and in less time, but can reveal anyone who actually is HIV+ and trying to hide it.
I’m not telling you to go to one testing facility over the other, I just want you to know the facts and what kind of tests you are really getting.
You know what they say ……. the more you know!
4 Responses
Who does the FSC really represent (talent, studios, other)? It appears they are more focused on the business side than defending “free speech”.
They certainly have no interest in protecting the talent.
@dafib – They rep production companies. They originally wanted CET to have the testing monopoly but performers forced them to accept TTS. They had about 2-3 other testing labs but they dropped them. You can’t join them as a performer, check their site. TTS has Fbuddy which is similiar to PASS.