Remember that time (read: this morning) when we put out a media alert warning reporters, producers and editors not to the botch the headlines associated with any report on a new study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine that reviewed mercurys potential effect on ADHD?

We were pretty specific about the pitfalls of misreporting or mislabeling any such article but some folks just dont listen. Have a look at NBCNews.coms take on the study:

October 9, 2012, 2012

Michael Wann

Managing Editor

NBCNews.com

VIA EMAIL

Dear Mr. Wann,

NBCNews.com is currently featuring a Reuters article that is running under the headline Too much fish during pregnancy linked to child’s ADHD. This headline is simply wrong. In fact the new study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine being reported on by Reuters actually concludes the exact opposite of your headline. Mothers who ate more fish during pregnancy had children with a greatly reduced chance of ADHD.

Here is a stanza from the very story featured on your website, The children appeared to be 60 percent less likely to exhibit impulsive or hyperactive behaviors if their mothers ate two or more servings of fish per week.

As you know the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics states, Make certain that headlines do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.

The NBCNews.com headline goes beyond oversimplifying or even misrepresenting, it contradicts the very conclusion of not only the study but the reporting it promotes.

Here is a sample of other headlines reporting the same story today;

Eating fishin pregnancymay protect child from ADHD: research

Limit FishWhile Pregnant? Study Questions Advice

Eating fish while pregnantcan help cut ADHD risk in kids

Eating at least two servings of fishper week lowers ADHD risk in newborns by 60pc

Prenatalfish consumption may reduce risk of ADHD-related behaviors

With accuracy in mind we ask that you change this headline as soon as editorially possible.

Thank you.

Gavin Gibbons

Director of Media Relations

National Fisheries Institute

cc: LindaDahlstrom

Deputy Health Editor