Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Midway, GA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is highly regarded as an effective mechanism for identifying both alcohol and drug use. Hair captures a long-range record of alcohol and drug consumption by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the growing strand. When gathered near the scalp, it can offer up to around a 3-month timeframe for detecting alcohol and drugs. Collection of hair is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch portion of roughly 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) cut close to the scalp delivers 100mg, the optimal amount for testing and confirmation. For EtG, additional analyses, and/or extensive tests over 10 panels, 150mg is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale to measure the specimen is advisable. In the absence of scalp hair, an equal portion of body hair can be collected. "Head hair" specifically refers to only scalp hair, whereas "body hair" encompasses all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result includes four primary phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the preliminary procedures for integrating a sample within a laboratory’s framework. This step ensures the sample was properly sealed and sent, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional required data not in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a fast preliminary check for the presence of drugs. Although a cost-effective measure to discount drug presence in most samples, a positive screen must be verified to be legally valid. Samples that yield a preliminary positive require further Confirmation.

For presumptive positives in Screening, hair is taken from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower levels than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), hence why hair drug testing represents the most complex methodology.

Positive screening confirmations apply GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Before Confirmation, presumptive positive samples undergo washing where necessary. The full laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes evaluation under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and is certified to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage for up to 90 days, where urine tests offer a shorter timeframe.
• Resistance to tampering: Cheating a hair drug test is notably difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Tracks usage history: It shows a drug usage pattern over a duration, not merely immediate use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: Drugs appear in hair approximately 5-7 days after consumption.
• Higher cost: Hair drug tests generally cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth variations can influence drug metabolite level in hair.

Note: Commonly called "hair follicle tests," the analysis examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Midway, GA, hair follicle tests are gaining preference over urine tests. Their extended detection and reliability surpass the traditional methods. Hair testing captures a broader substance history, ensuring detection accuracy. Comparatively, urine tests are limited in duration, making hair tests the superior choice for comprehensive evaluations.

Extended Detection Window

In Midway, GA, the extended detection period of hair follicle testing, up to 90 days, provides employers with a fuller picture of a candidate's substance history. This long-term insight aids in making informed hiring decisions, ensuring a safe and compliant workforce while significantly extending the scope over standard drug test periods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Midway, GA, the hair follicle testing method offers a tamper-resistant approach that helps ensure the authenticity of the sample provided. This testing significantly diminishes the risk of sample tampering, ensuring accurate and trustworthy results, thus fostering a more reliable screening process for all stakeholders involved.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

The accessibility of numerous testing sites in Midway, GA and nationwide ensures convenience for all users. These widespread centers offer quick and straightforward access to testing services, making the overall process seamless and hassle-free for individuals and companies alike seeking thorough and efficient drug screenings.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Midway, GA, the hair testing process is straightforward, offering confidentiality and ease. From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, the process is designed to respect privacy and simplicity. This approach alleviates concerns, ensuring users experience a smooth and discreet testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Midway, GA provides competitive pricing for hair follicle testing, marrying affordability with swift results delivery. This fast turnaround coupled with cost-effective options makes it a prudent choice for businesses, ensuring value and efficiency meet the needs of organizations of varying scales.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Midway, GA benefits from hair follicle testing, quick and precise, offering high accuracy in detecting substance use. This method's advantage lies in its ability to give speedy, yet dependable outcomes, ensuring that substance history is correctly addressed. Employers and individuals alike rely on these tests for their high precision and prompt turnaround.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Using hair follicle tests in Midway, GA helps employers maintain compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This testing method not only supports adhering to best practices but also diminishes legal risks, improving overall safety and integrity of the workplace environment, giving employers peace of mind.

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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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