# How Can Newborn Toxicology Testing Be More Equitable? An Interactive Ethics Workshop

## TL;DR

This workshop explores how newborn toxicology testing can be made more equitable by guiding participants through ethical discussions and case-based learning.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is an interactive ethics workshop designed to address disparities in newborn toxicology testing practices.

## Key findings

- 94% of participants reported being introduced to a new idea after the workshop.
- 82% of participants considered making changes to their clinical practices following the workshop.
- Some participants reported self-perceived changes in practice after three months.

## Abstract

Practice variation in newborn toxicology testing during the birth hospitalization exists across institutions and legal jurisdictions. While testing can provide benefits, indiscriminate testing has been shown to perpetuate health care inequities. In the backdrop of an opioid epidemic and a charged medicolegal landscape, this workshop guides participants to reexamine newborn toxicology testing through a shared ethical lens.

We conducted a live, 90-minute workshop in English at an international pediatric conference. Physicians, residents, and fellows participated in large- and small-group breakout sessions to learn relevant clinical and bioethical frameworks, share their own local context and expertise, and explore ethical applications through case-based discussions. We administered two anonymous online follow-up surveys to assess self-perceived impact on participant knowledge, behavior, and clinical practice.

Seven facilitators and 45 individuals participated in the workshop. Eighteen participants completed survey 1 immediately following workshop conclusion, and six participants completed survey 2 after 3 months had elapsed. Immediately following the workshop, 94% of respondents reported that they had been introduced to a new idea, and 82% were considering practice change. A low response rate to survey 2 limited interpretation, but some respondents reported self-perceived change following workshop attendance.

This workshop facilitated conversation between physician participants on a complex pediatric health care inequity issue using an ethical framework.