In brief: Doctor suspended over abortions

Trenton, N.J. – A doctor who ferried patients to Maryland for late-term abortions that he wasn’t authorized to perform in New Jersey had his license suspended Wednesday by regulators who called his actions manipulative and deceptive.

Dr. Steven Brigham started late-term abortions with medication in Voorhees, N.J., and finished them in Elkton, Md., where state law is more permissive, authorities said.

He has no hospital privileges in New Jersey and is not authorized to perform abortions past the 14th week of pregnancy because New Jersey does not consider him qualified to do so.

Brigham plans to appeal the board’s suspension of his only remaining medical license. He said during testimony that he believed everything he did was legal.

While it’s common for late-term abortions to be performed over two days, documents show that Brigham didn’t even tell his patients they’d be going to his clinic in Elkton, Md., about 60 miles away. He simply led a caravan of vehicles, instructing patients or their relatives to follow him, documents show.

Production halted after actor tests HIV-positive

Los Angeles – At least five companies in California’s multibillion-dollar adult entertainment industry have halted production after an actor tested positive for HIV, and more shutdowns were possible, the head of a major production company said Wednesday.

The actor’s identity and gender have not been released by the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, the clinic where the case was discovered. The clinic was working to identify and test on-screen partners of the actor.

Vivid Entertainment Group and Wicked Pictures announced production halts Tuesday as a precaution.

Vivid founder Steven Hirsch would not name the other companies that have shut down but said more might follow.

“From Vivid’s perspective, there was no question that when we heard this, we immediately shut down production and said let’s get the facts and evaluate them before we move forward,” he said.

“Adult entertainment companies act responsibly, and no one wants to see another person test positive if there’s anything they can do to stop it.”