Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Red Lion, DE

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective means for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended record of substance use by encapsulating biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When sampled near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol usage over a period of up to about three months. The collection process is straightforward, the samples are fairly resistant to tampering, and they are easy to mail.

Collecting a 1.5-inch length sample of roughly 200 hair strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg, the optimal quantity for screening and validation. For EtG tests, additional tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale for measuring the sample is suggested. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be gathered. With head hair, we mean scalp hair only. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The main stages in lab processing of a drug test result are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves integrating a sample into the lab system. This step includes confirming the sample’s proper sealing and shipping, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as a preliminary examination for abused substances. Although Screening is an economical way to exclude drug use for most samples, a positive result needs confirmation for court acceptability. Any samples that test presumptively positive in Screening need additional confirmation.

If a sample tests positive during Screening, extra hair is collected from the initial sample for the Extraction process. At this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g. urine or oral fluid), highlighting hair drug testing as the most intricate to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is accomplished through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that are presumptively positive are cleansed before confirmation if required. The entire process from Accessioning to Confirmation adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug consumption over a span of up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection period.
• Difficult to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Reveals usage patterns: It can indicate a pattern of drug use throughout time, beyond just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Undetectable for recent use: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Higher cost: Hair drug tests typically cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variation: Factors like hair color and personal variations in hair growth can influence the drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Often termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing
Beats Urine Testing
in Red Lion, DE

Hair testing offers a significant edge over traditional urine tests. It not only has a longer detection window but also proves to be more difficult to disrupt. In Red Lion, DE, employers and professionals favor hair testing for its superior accuracy and dependability. This method ensures a thorough assessment of an individual’s substance use history, aligning with stringent zero-tolerance policies.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window
in Red Lion, DE

Hair follicle testing provides an expansive detection window of up to 90 days. This means employers can gain an extensive overview of potential drug use, ensuring a thorough vetting process in Red Lion, DE. By offering a holistic view of substance history, hair tests are invaluable for making informed decisions about candidates and employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method
in Red Lion, DE

Employing a hair follicle test drastically reduces the risk of sample tampering, offering a reliable result that stands up to scrutiny. In Red Lion, DE, these tests are designed to ensure integrity, deterring attempts at adulteration and providing dependable outcomes that stakeholders can trust.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing
and Local Locations
in Red Lion, DE

With numerous accessible testing centers nationwide, Accredited Drug Testing simplifies your testing needs. In Red Lion, DE, our network ensures that testing is both practical and quick, providing easy and stress-free access to services. Whether local or far, our centers are ready to meet your testing demands efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process
in Red Lion, DE

Our testing process is designed for ease and privacy. From ordering to receiving the results, each step is straightforward and discreet, addressing privacy concerns effectively. In Red Lion, DE, we uphold confidentiality, ensuring participants feel secure and confident throughout the testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround
in Red Lion, DE

We offer competitive pricing alongside rapid results, providing excellent value for companies in Red Lion, DE. Our cost-effective structure ensures that businesses of all sizes can benefit from affordable testing services without sacrificing quality or timeliness, contributing to strategic and economic advantages.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results
in Red Lion, DE

Experience the benefits of swift and precise results with hair follicle drug testing. Known for their accuracy in detecting substances, these tests provide quick and reliable outcomes in Red Lion, DE. The efficiency of our testing process ensures that you receive comprehensive results promptly, meeting urgent requirements without compromising detail.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind
for Employers in Red Lion, DE

Hair follicle testing assures employers in Red Lion, DE of strict adherence to drug-free workplace policies. It minimizes legal and safety risks, ensuring that all staff members comply with organizational standards. This test offers peace of mind by maintaining a safe and compliant working environment, reinforcing company commitments.

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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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