This supplement is the proceedings of fourth conference entitled ‘Evidence vs Experience in Neonatal Practices’, this one held in Chicago, 2007. The first conference, held in October 2004, included formal lectures and discussion that involved both participants and attendees. The proceedings from the 2nd Annual Conference (June 2005) utilized the same format and merged evidence with experience to develop and define ‘best practices’ in neonatal medicine. The third conference (June 2006) maintained the same format but offered a more practical guidance to the practicing neonatologist.

It is interesting that over the years the topics that are most enticing and stimulate research are remarkably similar. This fourth proceedings again discusses nutrition, ventilation and surfactant administration. New topics include information regarding the limits of viability, necrotizing enterocolitis, patent ductus arteriosus, heat loss prevention and changes in the Neonatal Resuscitation Program. All of these subjects remain important to neonatologists today. These discussions are detailed in the following introduction by Dr Rangasamy Ramanathan.