Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Altha, FL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has increasingly become recognized as an effective method for uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. Hair serves as an extended timeline of alcohol and various drugs by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair shaft. Collected near the scalp, hair can present as much as a three-month detection range for alcohol and substances. Hair is easy to gather, relatively challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (equivalent to the diameter of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the ideal quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG add-ons and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the hair specimen is advised. Utilizing a jeweler's scale for weighing the specimen is recommended. If scalp hair is not available, a similar volume of body hair can be collected. When we mention head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair refers to any other typologies (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four primary steps involved in laboratory processing of a drug test result are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the initial incorporation of a sample into a laboratory's system. It involves confirming the sample was properly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any additional data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is an economical approach to exclude drug use in the majority of samples, a positive screening must be validated to be court-admissible. Any samples that presumptively test positive in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

If a sample returns a presumptive positive result in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepped for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are sourced from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting why hair drug screening is among the most complex methodologies to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation as needed. The entire laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug analyses can unveil drug usage up to 90 days versus the shorter detection span of urine tests.
• Difficulty to cheat: It is notably tough to deceive a hair drug test, thus ensuring more precise results.
• Provides historical data: It unfolds a pattern of substance use over a designated time frame, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: Detection of drugs in hair approximately requires 5-7 days.
• Cost: Typically, hair drug tests are pricier compared to other drug testing approaches.
• Variations in results: Factors such as hair color and individual hair growth variations may influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Altha, FL, hair follicle testing surpasses urine analysis by providing a broader detection spectrum with higher accuracy and reliability. It is exceptionally effective for zero-tolerance policies, detecting long-term use undetectable by urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle drug testing in Altha, FL, offers an extended detection window, spanning up to 90 days. This gives employers a detailed insight into an applicant or employee's historical substance use habits.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Altha, FL, hair follicle testing greatly reduces adulteration risks, delivering results that are trustworthy and beyond reproach. The method's integrity ensures sample authenticity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Offering widespread access, our testing centers in Altha, FL, and nationwide facilitate hassle-free drug testing solutions for all clients, ensuring convenience and accessibility.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process in Altha, FL is straightforward and confidential. From ordering to sampling and receiving results, the procedure maintains privacy, addressing any concerns with ease.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Altha, FL, we provide competitively priced hair testing with fast turnaround times, offering businesses cost-effective and satisfying solutions for their testing needs.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle testing in Altha, FL, offers swift and precise results, with unparalleled accuracy in identifying substance use. This method outperforms traditional testing, ensuring reliable results quickly.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Altha, FL can rely on hair follicle testing for maintaining compliance with drug-free workplace mandates, minimizing legal liabilities and fostering a safe working 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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