The Swingers Board - View Single Post - Would you go to a club that required STD Testing

highlander · 08-03-2008, 12:49 PM

I got a comprehensive screen at an AIM Foundation affiliate for $309 (http:AIM Healthcare - Home). They have affiliates in ALL major cities via some major
testing labs.

That panel included HIV, Hep A/B/C, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, HSV and Syphilis. I got the PCR tests which are newer-and thus more expensive(the PCR HIV tests detect infection accurately 10 days after contact vs. 90 for the more commonly used tests). The G/C/HIV panel I think cost $109--and that is the one you'd need to do more frequently.

Now one thing to get about these costs:
the PCR tests are new-and are thus expensive. The costs of those tests _will_ come down. If STD testing caught on among swingers those tests might come down faster than they would otherwise-because the game for the biotech companies is economy of scale. Basically they've invested a big fixed costs in developing those tests and if they see a broader market to spread those costs over, it makes sense for them to lower prices(i.e. this works just like computer technologies). Also, there may be some deals that might be cut for bit blocks of tests. The swinger community is HUGE compared to the number of porn actors out there. The PCR tests were used early on largely in a few HIV "hot spots" and in the porn industry.

Anyhow, I suspect that for most swingers testing every 90 days is adequate especially if
you use PCR tests. Porn actors do a comprehensive screen every 6 months and a HIV/Gonorrhea/Chlamydia screen every month. That is a population that is VERY sexually active without condoms much of the time. They have different needs than say folks that visit a club once a month(and always play in a tested club that requires folks use condoms onsite). Basically that suggest a cost of $55/month per person or so for a basic testing program or $145 for the full "porn star experience".

What I tend to suggest:
Think carefully about how to divide the swinger population a bit.
One way to do this might be require a blood draw every x visits with at least an annual comprehensive screen(or 6 months for the heavy hitters). I also expect that if there is EVER going to be a problem with a club member, it is more likely to happen that first month of membership. I also think that "single" men may present a special problem and it is reasonable to have a more frequent testing program for single men than the general population. Basically single men are more likely to be actively bisexual, more likely to use prostitutes and more likely to combine risky behaviors with use of heroin, cocaine, crack or meth than the general population of swingers-may may be perfectly reasonable to require more frequent tests of that demographic. (I think some porn production companies also require tests for cocaine, heroin and meth to reduce risks here because of the statistical association of STD's and those substances).

I don't think this has to be a high paperwork sort of thing. AIM emails test data in machine readable form-basically everything could be done via a bit of software. Basically when someone walks in the door, they give their "stage name"-and the doorman looks it up-and validates their photo(or possibly ID)--they get in if they are current and if they are likely to not be current soon they get notified.

Right now, we have sex industry leaders making claims like you are more likely to get HIV from your neighbor than a porn actor. The thing is once you have tested clubs in operation and a scientific validation of that claim, it takes on a whole different level of weight. My own expectation here is that just a single club doing testing will reduce risks by a significant amount for its participants. However, if the practice catches on in a larger community the effect will be a lot larger because we'll have folks playing exclusively among a tested pool.

I would be willing to bet money that once you get a substantial pool of married couples swinging in tested clubs and making some use of barriers in those clubs that those folks will have STD rates of infection _less_ than other couples that think they are monogamous. If that kind of practice became more widely spread, I think it is the sort of thing that could actually turn around the trend we have had for an increasing rate of a variety of STD's.

08-03-2008, 12:49 PM	#25 (permalink)
highlander Swingers Board Addict Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 217 Location: Portland,OR	Re: Would you go to a club that required STD Testing I got a comprehensive screen at an AIM Foundation affiliate for $309 (http:AIM Healthcare - Home). They have affiliates in ALL major cities via some major testing labs. That panel included HIV, Hep A/B/C, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, HSV and Syphilis. I got the PCR tests which are newer-and thus more expensive(the PCR HIV tests detect infection accurately 10 days after contact vs. 90 for the more commonly used tests). The G/C/HIV panel I think cost $109--and that is the one you'd need to do more frequently. Now one thing to get about these costs: the PCR tests are new-and are thus expensive. The costs of those tests _will_ come down. If STD testing caught on among swingers those tests might come down faster than they would otherwise-because the game for the biotech companies is economy of scale. Basically they've invested a big fixed costs in developing those tests and if they see a broader market to spread those costs over, it makes sense for them to lower prices(i.e. this works just like computer technologies). Also, there may be some deals that might be cut for bit blocks of tests. The swinger community is HUGE compared to the number of porn actors out there. The PCR tests were used early on largely in a few HIV "hot spots" and in the porn industry. Anyhow, I suspect that for most swingers testing every 90 days is adequate especially if you use PCR tests. Porn actors do a comprehensive screen every 6 months and a HIV/Gonorrhea/Chlamydia screen every month. That is a population that is VERY sexually active without condoms much of the time. They have different needs than say folks that visit a club once a month(and always play in a tested club that requires folks use condoms onsite). Basically that suggest a cost of $55/month per person or so for a basic testing program or $145 for the full "porn star experience". What I tend to suggest: Think carefully about how to divide the swinger population a bit. One way to do this might be require a blood draw every x visits with at least an annual comprehensive screen(or 6 months for the heavy hitters). I also expect that if there is EVER going to be a problem with a club member, it is more likely to happen that first month of membership. I also think that "single" men may present a special problem and it is reasonable to have a more frequent testing program for single men than the general population. Basically single men are more likely to be actively bisexual, more likely to use prostitutes and more likely to combine risky behaviors with use of heroin, cocaine, crack or meth than the general population of swingers-may may be perfectly reasonable to require more frequent tests of that demographic. (I think some porn production companies also require tests for cocaine, heroin and meth to reduce risks here because of the statistical association of STD's and those substances). I don't think this has to be a high paperwork sort of thing. AIM emails test data in machine readable form-basically everything could be done via a bit of software. Basically when someone walks in the door, they give their "stage name"-and the doorman looks it up-and validates their photo(or possibly ID)--they get in if they are current and if they are likely to not be current soon they get notified. Right now, we have sex industry leaders making claims like you are more likely to get HIV from your neighbor than a porn actor. The thing is once you have tested clubs in operation and a scientific validation of that claim, it takes on a whole different level of weight. My own expectation here is that just a single club doing testing will reduce risks by a significant amount for its participants. However, if the practice catches on in a larger community the effect will be a lot larger because we'll have folks playing exclusively among a tested pool. I would be willing to bet money that once you get a substantial pool of married couples swinging in tested clubs and making some use of barriers in those clubs that those folks will have STD rates of infection _less_ than other couples that think they are monogamous. If that kind of practice became more widely spread, I think it is the sort of thing that could actually turn around the trend we have had for an increasing rate of a variety of STD's.