Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Davis, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is acknowledged as an effective instrument for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair archives a prolonged history of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers in the strands of the developing hair. When taken near the scalp, hair can supply a detection window for alcohol and drugs extending up to about 3 months. The collection of hair is straightforward, fairly resistant to tampering, and convenient for shipping.

A sample length of 1.5 inches consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (around the width of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal sample size for analysis and verification. For EtG, supplementary tests, and/or examinations beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. Using a jeweler's scale is recommended for weighing the sample. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent amount of body hair might be gathered. When mentioning head hair, it exclusively pertains to scalp hair. Body hair denotes all other forms of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of drug test samples involves four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning constitutes the initial phase of logging a sample into a laboratory's system. This encompasses verifying proper sealing and shipment of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performing any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a rapid preliminary examination for drug substances. Although Screening offers an economical approach to excluding drug presence in most samples, positive screenings must be validated to be legally admissible. Samples with presumptive positive results from Screening require subsequent confirmation.

If a sample shows presumptive positivity during Screening, extra hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. At this juncture, drugs are extracted from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), as a result, hair drug screening stands as the most challenging method to execute.

Any positive screening result's confirmation is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo cleansing before confirmation as necessary. The entire lab 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:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify substance use extending up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection duration.
• Resistant to deception: It is exceedingly challenging to deceive a hair drug test, leading to more reliable results.
• Offers historical data: It can reveal drug usage patterns over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair roughly 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically more costly compared to other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Elements such as hair color and individual discrepancies in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the examination itself analyzes the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Testing Surpasses Urine Testing in Davis, IL, is clear when comparing their benefits. Hair tests offer enhanced detection accuracy, covering a longer history of substance use, unlike traditional urine tests. Their reliability and longer detection window make hair testing the preferred method.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window is a significant advantage of hair follicle testing in Davis, IL. These tests can spot drug usage over a period of up to 90 days, giving employers a broader understanding of an individual's substance usage history, far beyond the capacity of standard tests.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method stands out in Davis, IL, as hair follicle tests are notably robust against tampering. The process minimizes the risk of sample manipulation, ensuring results that are both trustworthy and uncontested.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Testing Locations in Davis, IL, offer unmatched accessibility. With numerous nationwide centers and local facilities, Accredited Drug Testing provides quick, straightforward, and stress-free access to all required testing services, enhancing efficiency.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple and Confidential Process for engaging in hair follicle testing in Davis, IL, makes the experience seamless. The ordering, testing, and result retrieval are guarded with strict confidentiality, ensuring user privacy and ease at every step.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround are key factors offered in Davis, IL. Accredited Drug Testing provides competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, ensuring excellent value for businesses of varying sizes, alongside prompt and authoritative testing results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast and Accurate Results are crucial when assessing substance use. In Davis, IL, hair follicle tests provide both precision and speed, delivering reliable outcomes rapidly. These tests are celebrated for their accuracy, making them a superior choice for detecting various drugs.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Davis, IL, is greatly enhanced with hair follicle testing. This method guarantees adherence to workplace drug policies, mitigating legal threats and bolstering workplace safety through reliable substance monitoring.

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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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