Why is it that when a celebrity says something, whether it’s even remotely true, certain media outlets print, post and promote it like it’s gospel? Take for instance Rod Stewart’s wife, uh his third—not counting the girlfriend who he has a child with as well. She’s only tangentially a celebrity and you’ll find her all over magazines and websites like People spewing misinformation about fish and fertility and they’re printing it like she’s a research OBGYN from Harvard.
Come on guys. I know you’re not the Wall Street Journal but do a little digging before you print this stuff. If Ashton Kutcher announced bald men could re-grow hair by rubbing mayonnaise on their head would the headline be “Cure For Baldness Announced”—let’s hope not?
Our letter below:
Larry Hackett
Managing Editor
People Magazine
Via Email
Dear Mr. Hackett,
I am writing to you regarding your Sept. 13 story, “Penny Lancaster: Fish Is Not a Friend to Fertility,” despite Ms. Lancaster’s claims and your reporting, there is no body of science connecting seafood consumption and infertility. You will note that in the Daily Mail version of this same story, an interviewed doctor clearly states, “I haven’t heard of high mercury levels affecting fertility.”
Your headline is not simply inconsistent with the science on this issue – it has the potential to do harm to public health. Two leading health authorities recently came out with reports emphasizing the importance of eating fish during pregnancy and breastfeeding for optimal brain development in babies and the risks of avoiding fish.
“Emphasize the neurodevelopment benefits to offspring of fish consumption by women of childbearing age, particularly pregnant women and nursing mothers, and the neurodevelopment risks to offspring of such women not consuming fish.”
Translation: When pregnant and breastfeeding moms eat fish it helps their babies’ brain develop. And when they don’t eat fish their babies might miss out on this brain boost.
Available at http://www.fao.org/fishery/nems/39000/en
“Moderate evidence indicates that increased maternal dietary intake of long chain n-3 PUFA, in particular docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from at least 2 servings of seafood per week, during pregnancy and lactation is associated with increased DHA levels in breast milk and improved infant health outcomes, such as visual acuity and cognitive development.”
Translation: When pregnant and breastfeeding moms eat at least two servings of fish a week, it raises the amount of omega-3s in their breast milk and helps their babies’ eyes and brain develop.
Available at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-DGACReport.htm
Despite what Ms. Lancaster has said to the media, peer-reviewed scientific and medical literature does not support her claims or those she attributes to an unnamed “homeopathic doctor.” The failure of your reporting to offer a converse medical opinion and the inaccuracy of the content of your headline has the potential to cause real confusion and harm public health. We ask that you immediately remove or amended this story.
Thank you.
Gavin Gibbons
National Fisheries Institute
cc Cynthia Sanz
Assistant Managing Editor
