Sex parties where HIV-positive gay men meet for unprotected sex could help reduce the spread of HIV, but could involve a risk of sexually transmitted infections and superinfection with resistant strains of HIV, according to a pilot study conducted in New York and published in the October edition of Sexually Transmitted Infections.Īlthough the study is presented in measured language, and is careful to highlight both the potentially positive and negative health implications of sex parties involving HIV-positive gay men, or “POZ parties” as the authors call them, a media release from the publishers of the journal used much more sensational language and led to alarmist headlines such as “POZ parties spread super strain of HIV” in the popular press.Įvents such as POZ parties may represent an attempt by HIV-positive gay men to select sexual partners of the same HIV status, so-called “serosorting”.