Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Romeo, CO

What it is, How it works

The utilization of hair testing is increasingly recognized for its effectiveness in identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged history of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they develop. When taken near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period of up to about three months for various substances. Collecting hair is uncomplicated, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) adjacent to the scalp will produce 100mg of hair, which is the preferred sample quantity for screening and confirmation. For tests exceeding ten panels, including EtG and additional tests, a specimen of 150mg is advised. Using a jeweler's scale to weigh the specimen is recommended. In the event that scalp hair is unavailable, a proportional quantity of body hair may be used. Head hair refers exclusively to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key stages in processing a drug test result in the laboratory are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, a sample is initially processed into the laboratory's system. This process involves confirming the sample's seal and proper shipment, assigning it a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening provides an initial preliminary assessment for substances. Although cost-effective, a positive result in Screening requires confirmation to be legally valid. Therefore, any presumptive positive samples from Screening must be confirmed.

Should a sample yield a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair from the original sample undergoes preparation for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at substantially lower concentrations compared to alternative methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair testing a more complex procedure.

Confirmation of any presumptive positive result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that tested presumptively positive are washed before Confirmation as necessary. The comprehensive laboratory procedure, from Accessioning to Confirmation, adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Lengthy detection period: Hair drug testing can identify drug use for up to 90 days, surpassing the shorter detection span of urine tests.
• Difficulty in tampering: The challenge in manipulating hair drug tests enhances result accuracy.
• Provision of usage history: Offers insight into patterns of substance use over time, beyond the scope of recent instances.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs typically become detectable in hair after 5-7 days.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug testing incurs higher costs compared to other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Drug metabolite concentration in hair can be influenced by factors like hair color and individual growth variability.

Note: Despite often being called "hair follicle tests", the analysis evaluates the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Romeo, CO outshines traditional urine tests due to its superior detection accuracy and reliability. While urine tests can detect recent drug use, hair tests reveal a more comprehensive history of substance use, covering up to 90 days. This extended window offers employers or other concerned parties a better understanding of an individual’s substance use profile.

Extended Detection Window

In Romeo, CO, hair follicle testing offers an extensive detection window, spanning up to 90 days. This advantage provides employers a detailed view of an applicant or employee's substance use history, significantly more than the limited range of other testing methods. Such capability ensures a comprehensive understanding of an individual's potential drug use.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Romeo, CO offers a robust defense against sample tampering. Due to the nature of hair testing, the risk of adulteration diminishes greatly, rendering the results reliable and irrefutable. This method strengthens the credibility of test outcomes, ensuring that the results remain uncompromised and trustworthy.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With an extensive network of testing centers nationwide, including local sites in Romeo, CO, accessing hair follicle testing services is seamless. This convenience allows for quick, easy, and hassle-free testing experiences, ensuring that individuals and employers alike can meet their testing needs promptly and efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Romeo, CO, the hair follicle testing process is designed to be straightforward and confidential. From scheduling to sample collection and receiving results, each step prioritizes privacy and user-friendliness. This ensures that concerns about confidentiality are addressed, making the testing experience as smooth and worry-free as possible.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and swift result turnaround, Accredited Drug Testing in Romeo, CO provides excellent value for businesses of every size. The affordable cost structure paired with speedy service ensures that companies can maintain peace of mind without straining financial resources, promoting efficient and cost-effective testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Romeo, CO, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their rapid and accurate outcomes. The high precision of these tests ensures reliable identification of substance use, making them a superior choice over conventional testing methods. Their swiftness in generating results provides peace of mind, allowing for quick decision-making when assessing substance use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Romeo, CO, incorporating hair follicle testing assures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, reducing potential legal pitfalls and bolstering workplace safety. This approach not only fosters a secure working environment but also enhances peace of mind for employers, knowing their practices align with legal and regulatory standards.

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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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