Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Summertown, GA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is now viewed as a formidable method for identifying the presence of drugs and alcohol. The hair captures a comprehensive history of substances by embedding biomarkers within its fibers as it grows. When taken near the scalp, the hair offers nearly a three-month detection period for drugs and alcohol. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and can be easily transported.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches and consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the preferred amount for both screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or those beyond 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is advisable. It's suggested to use a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. If scalp hair cannot be obtained, a similar quantity of body hair may be used. "Head hair" pertains solely to scalp hair, while "body hair" includes all other types (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The process entails four primary phases in a lab's analysis of a drug test: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary stage where the sample is incorporated into the lab's system. This step ensures the sample is properly sealed and transported, assigns it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any additional data entry not covered by an electronic custody chain.

Screening provides an initial rapid examination for potential drugs of misconduct. Although Screening is an economical method to negate drug use in most cases, a positive outcome necessitates confirmation to hold up in legal contexts. Samples that are potentially positive during Screening must undergo further verification.

If the Screening phase suggests a positive result, more hair from the original sample is utilized for Extraction. During this phase, substances are isolated from the hair at lower levels compared to other testing methods (such as urine or saliva), making hair drug testing a more challenging procedure.

Confirmatory analysis of any positive results from Screening happens via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. All samples indicating presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation as required. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair certification and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests uncover drug use spanning up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a more limited timeframe.
• High resistance to tampering: Hair drug tests are notably hard to deceive, enhancing the reliability of their results.
• Historical substance profile: They reveal a trend of drug use over time, rather than just recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent use: Drugs typically take 5-7 days to become detectable in hair samples.
• Expense: Hair tests generally incur higher costs compared to other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can impact drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Often termed "hair follicle tests," this analysis focuses on the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the skin.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Summertown, GA, hair follicle testing triumphs over traditional urine tests with its superior accuracy and reliability in detecting drug use. Hair tests provide a clearer, broader glimpse into substance history than urine tests.

While urine tests detect recent use, hair testing offers a more extensive overview over time, significantly elevating detection accuracy for employers and legal entities.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Summertown, GA, extends the drug detection window to up to 90 days, allowing employers an expansive view of substance use. This impressive range surpasses other testing methods.

This elongated detection period aids employers in making informed decisions, ensuring a more comprehensive assessment of a candidate or employee's historical substance use.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Summertown, GA, stands out as a tamper-resistant method, effectively eliminating sample adulteration risks. Its robustness ensures the delivery of indisputable and trustworthy test results.

The difficulty in falsifying hair test samples underscores its reliability, assuring stakeholders of authentic and verifiable outcomes consistently.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient locations in Summertown, GA, and nationwide, accessing Accredited Drug Testing services is straightforward, ensuring a hassle-free testing process for all participants.

Our widespread network guarantees prompt and easy access to testing services, minimizing effort and maximizing efficiency for every need.

Simple, Confidential Process

Accredited Drug Testing in Summertown, GA, offers a straightforward and confidential process for ordering, conducting, and receiving test results, placing a strong emphasis on user privacy.

The simplicity and discretion involved in our procedures address privacy concerns, making the process seamless and reassuring to all clients.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing and swift turnaround times underline the value that Accredited Drug Testing offers in Summertown, GA, catering to companies of all scales.

Ensuring affordability alongside quality, our services provide excellent return on investment while ensuring prompt results for strategic decisions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests offer rapid and precise results, setting a high standard for accuracy in identifying substance usage in Summertown, GA. Their efficiency makes them an excellent choice for quick, reliable screening.

With sophisticated methodologies, hair tests rapidly deliver dependable outcomes, confirming their pivotal role in modern drug testing across diverse settings.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

By adopting hair follicle testing in Summertown, GA, employers ensure adherence to drug-free policies, fostering a safer working environment and adhering to legal standards.

Such testing mitigates legal uncertainties and reinforces workplace integrity, providing assurance and peace of mind to employers about compliance and safety measures.

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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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