Mount Sinai among 3 hospital systems under investigation for pregnant women drug testing practices

Mount Sinai is one of three private medical systems in the five boroughs under investigation for drug testing practices among pregnant Black and Latina women and their babies.

News 12 Staff

Nov 17, 2020, 4:15 PM

Updated 1,426 days ago

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Mount Sinai is one of three private medical systems in the five boroughs under investigation for drug testing practices among pregnant Black and Latina women and their babies.
Suspicions about systemic racism in the medical field has prompted the Commission on Human Rights to launch an investigation into whether pregnant Black and Latina women and their babies are being tested for drugs without their consent.
Dana Sussman, the CCHR deputy commissioner for policy, says with or without consent, Black and brown moms and babies seem to be drug tested much more than white women and their newborns.
The commission is investigating Mount Sinai, Montefiore and New York Presbyterian hospital systems. Officials say the drug testing practice can sometimes lead to medical staff reporting positive drug tests to the state, prompting an Administration for Children's Services investigation. While the CCHR has no concrete findings yet, officials say they're looking into practices and staff training to uncover any systemic racism that may be leading to unfair treatment.
The probe started in August and will take more than a year to complete.
Anyone who believes they have been discriminated against during medical care can contact the Commission on Human Rights.