Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Chatham, AK

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has gained recognition as an effective approach for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended timeline of alcohol and substances by encasing biomarkers within the strands of the developing hair. When hair is taken near the scalp, it can reveal up to a 90-day detection range for alcohol and drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch length consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the preferred amount for both screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or assessments exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. It is recommended to measure the sample using a jeweler's scale. If there isn't enough scalp hair, a similar quantity of body hair may be utilized. When referring to head hair, it exclusively concerns scalp hair. Alternatively, body hair includes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The process of processing a drug test result in a lab consists of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial management of a sample into a lab's system. This process includes checking that the sample is correctly sealed and transported, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and recording any extra data not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary evaluation for the presence of drugs. Although Screening is an economical approach to dismiss drug usage in most samples, an affirmative screen requires validation to be legally valid. Any samples that yield presumptive positives in Screening must undergo a second confirmation.

If a sample tests positive during the Screening phase, further hair is extracted from the initial batch and readied for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are separated from hair at significantly reduced concentrations compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or saliva), making hair drug testing the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive result from screening is done via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The whole laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and in compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection range: Hair drug screenings can identify drug consumption for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a restricted detection period.
• Cheating resistance: It is notably challenging to manipulate a hair drug test, resulting in more reliable outcomes.
• Supplies historical usage data: It can trace a pattern of substance use over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug analyses are usually costlier compared to alternative drug assessment techniques.
• Result fluctuations: Variables such as hair pigmentation and individual hair growth differences can impact the concentration of drug residues in the hair.

Note: Frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the examination focuses on the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Chatham, AK provides several benefits over traditional urine testing. Its main strength lies in exceptional detection reliability, observing drug usage patterns far more effectively.
While urine tests may detect recent drug use, hair follicle analysis captures long-term use, validating employee or candidate histories.Superior detection capabilities offer enhanced reliability.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window in hair follicle testing presents a significant advantage for Chatham, AK employers.
Spanning up to 90 days, this testing method gives employers a comprehensive perspective on an individual's substance use history, called the 'lookback period.'This extensive monitoring ability supports informed hiring and retention decisions to promote workplace health and compliance.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle drug testing in Chatham, AK stands out due to its resistance to tampering.
Unlike other methods, it significantly lowers the risk of adulteration or deception; the collected sample remains largely uncontestable.This method ensures employers and officials receive reliable, integrity-filled results that can't be manipulated, enhancing trust in the testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient access to testing resources is offered by our nationwide network in Chatham, AK.
This extensive reach enables easy and efficient scheduling of tests, avoiding unnecessary delays.Testing centers provide an accessible option for individuals and businesses alike, ensuring smooth facilitation of testing services while maintaining high standards of customer service.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Chatham, AK, our testing process is both simple and confidential, designed to safeguard privacy at every step.
The procedure from ordering the test to receiving results is streamlined to cater to both individuals and corporate clients.Confidentiality and simplicity ensure a worry-free experience, fulfilling both personal and professional needs seamlessly.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our affordable pricing combined with rapid turnaround offers exceptional value for Chatham, AK organizations.
The competitive rates make hair follicle tests accessible, while fast processing times minimize business disruptions.These cost-effective solutions ensure both large corporations and smaller businesses can benefit from reliable testing without financial strain.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Chatham, AK, obtaining quick and precise results is crucial, and hair follicle drug tests deliver just that. These tests exhibit remarkable precision, ensuring high accuracy when detecting substance use.
The ability to quickly process samples accelerates the timeline for feedback, offering peace of mind for employers and individuals their results will be rapid and reliable.Chatham's focus on reliable testing empowers informed decision-making.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring compliance with drug-free policies is a top priority in Chatham, AK workplaces, and hair follicle testing achieves this effectively.
Implementing these tests offers peace of mind, reducing legal risks while assuring a safer environment for all.Employers can confidently maintain robust drug enforcement policies that protect both the company and its employees.

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What's New In Hair Follicle Drug Testing according to the Hair Drug Testing Experts

With its multidisciplinary nature, hair testing brings together researchers, scientists, and experts from various domains to develop innovative techniques, explore new methodologies, and address emerging concerns, responding to the ever-evolving challenges of drug abuse, therapeutic drug monitoring, and environmental exposures to pollutants.

The joint meeting of the Society of Hair Testing (SoHT) and the Italian Group of Forensic Toxicologists (GTFI) was organized in Verona, June 8–10, 2022, and hosted by the Legal Medicine team of the Verona University Hospital, directed by Franco Tagliaro together with Federica Bortolotti and Rossella Gottardo.

It served as a prominent platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, facilitating groundbreaking advancements in hair testing and analysis. In this special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, we aim to showcase the remarkable manuscripts presented at this significant event, shedding light on the latest research and highlighting the future directions in this field.

Novel Analytical Techniques: The Verona meeting witnessed the unveiling of cutting-edge analytical techniques, offering enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy for drug testing. Remarkable advancements in sample preparation, detection, and identification of drug compounds have been presented. The manuscripts in this section presented novel approaches, such as multianalyte methods and on-line preparation which can enable rapid analysis and improve thorough forensic investigations.

Biomarkers and Pharmacokinetics: The identification and validation of reliable biomarkers and pharmacokinetic studies are fundamental aspects of drug testing and analysis. The impact of hair treatments on the oxidation/decomposition of drugs in hair was also explored, as the long-term fate of drugs incorporated in the keratin matrix. Furthermore, the SoHT meeting in Verona featured research on the identification and quantification of alcohol abuse biomarkers, their stability, and their correlation with exposure and other biomarkers.

Forensic Applications and Interpretation: One of the vital objectives of hair testing is its application in forensic investigations and legal proceedings. The SoHT meeting in Verona emphasized the significance of rigorous interpretation of analytical results and the need for standardized protocols. Manuscripts in this section present advancements in forensic toxicology, and have explored the challenges posed by emerging designer drugs and strategies to combat their proliferation. The pitfalls encountered when the exogenous/endogenous nature of a substance is questioned were presented and discussed. The special issue presents also manuscripts that delve into the ethical implications of drug testing in drug facilitated sexual assaults.

Clinical Applications of hair testing are witnessed by the insight on environmental tobacco smoke exposure, assessed by hair analysis in a population of students and the study of in utero-exposure to drugs of abuse through neonatal hair analysis. Exposure to drugs was also important in cases of child abuse/neglect, when the clinical purpose of hair testing merge with its forensic applications.

The legal framework surrounding hair testing and the achievement of guidelines to ensure fairness, accuracy, and confidentiality in drug testing practices have also been discussed,and the SoHT consensus on general hair testing and testing for drugs of abuse was presented at the meeting and published as a Letter to the Editor.

In conclusion, the special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, featuring manuscripts from the SoHT–GTFI meeting in Verona 2022, reflects the remarkable advancements achieved in this field. The manuscripts provide valuable insights into novel analytical techniques, biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, forensic applications, and ethical considerations. As we embrace these advancements, we pave the way for a safer, healthier society, where drug testing and analysis serve as powerful tools in protecting public health and maintaining integrity in various sectors. The research presented in this special issue will undoubtedly shape the future of drug testing and analysis, fostering collaboration and inspiring further innovation in this crucial area of scientific inquiry.

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