Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Glendevey, CO

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a comprehensive timeline of drug and alcohol intake as it encapsulates biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. By gathering hair close to the scalp, it can reveal close to a 3-month window of drug and alcohol use. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and is convenient to transport.

A hair sample measuring 1.5 inches and consisting of around 200 strands (roughly the width of a #2 pencil) from near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is perfect for both screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or testing beyond 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advised. It's suggested to weigh the hair sample on a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair can't be collected, a similar quantity of body hair is acceptable. When discussing head hair, it is specifically scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Procedure Summary

The core phases involved in processing a drug test in the lab are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the preliminary processing of a sample into a laboratory’s system. This process entails checking if the sample was sealed and forwarded correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any other data entry tasks not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a quick initial check for drug substances. Though Screening is an economical means to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive result from Screening necessitates confirmation to hold up in court. Any Screening samples that are presumptively positive need a subsequent confirmation.

If a sample shows a presumptive positive during Screening, more hair is drawn from the initial sample for Extraction preparation. At this stage, drug substances are separated from hair at considerably lower concentrations than with other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing one of the most complex to execute.

Confirming any positive results from Screening is accomplished using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Any presumptive positive samples undergo a washing process before confirmation as necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeline: Hair drug assessments can identify drug use for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter detection period.
• Challenging to manipulate: It's extremely challenging to tamper with a hair drug test, thus enhancing result accuracy.
• Yields historical insights: It offers a pattern of drug usage over an extended timeframe, not just immediate use.

Drawbacks:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Drugs become identifiable in hair roughly 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be more costly than other drug testing options.
• Result variations: Elements such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth might influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis focuses on the hair strand and does not involve the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Glendevey, CO highlights the advantages hair testing holds over traditional urine tests. Hair follicle tests offer superior detection accuracy and reliability, capturing a longer history of drug use and reducing the chances of tampering.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Glendevey, CO underscores the advantage of hair follicle testing, which tracks drug use for up to 90 days. This extended period provides employers with a detailed overview of an applicant's or employee's substance usage history, facilitating informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Glendevey, CO showcases the resilience of hair follicle tests against sample adulteration. With its rigorous method, hair testing delivers reliable and unquestionable outcomes, minimizing the risk of compromised results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Glendevey, CO emphasizes the accessibility of our testing centers. With our vast network across the nation, we offer quick, easy, and hassle-free access, ensuring that you can get the testing you need wherever you are.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Glendevey, CO outlines the straightforward and discreet procedure for ordering, taking, and receiving test results. Ensuring privacy and ease of use, our process addresses concerns efficiently and securely.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Glendevey, CO reinforces our competitive pricing and swift turnaround. By providing outstanding value and peace of mind, we cater to companies of varied sizes, ensuring affordability without compromising on speed and effectiveness.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results HTML in Glendevey, CO illustrates the superior precision and rapidity of hair follicle drug tests. With unmatched accuracy, these tests effectively detect substance use, ensuring reliable outcomes that provide peace of mind for both employers and employees.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Glendevey, CO highlights how hair follicle testing helps maintain workplace drug-free policies. By reducing legal risks and enhancing safety, it ensures employers adhere to regulatory compliance, creating a more secure work environment.

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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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