Hair Follicle Drug Testing - De Witt, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as a robust means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a prolonged history of alcohol and drugs by trapping biomarkers within the strands of growing hair. When collected close to the scalp, hair can provide about a 3-month detection window for alcohol and other drugs. Hair is easy to collect, relatively challenging to adulterate, and simple to ship.

An ideal sample for screening and confirmation is a 1.5-inch section of roughly 200 hair strands (around the size of a #2 pencil), collected nearest to the scalp to yield 100mg of hair. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It's recommended to weigh the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, a similar quantity of body hair can be gathered. References to head hair specifically denote scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processes a drug test result through four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, the sample undergoes initial processing into the lab's system, verifying correct sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails an initial swift assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening provides a cost-effective approach to exclude drug use across most samples, a positive screen needs confirmation to hold up in court. Presumptively positive samples in Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.

If a Screening stage sample is presumptively positive, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for Extraction. This stage extracts drugs from hair at lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result occurs via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are washed before confirmation as necessary. The entire lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, adheres to both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can detect drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection window.
• Difficulty to cheat: Cheating a hair drug test is very difficult, making results more accurate.
• Provides historical data: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Cost: Hair drug tests tend to be more expensive than other drug testing methods.
• Variability in results: Factors like hair color and individual variations in hair growth can impact the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Despite being commonly called "hair follicle tests", the test actually analyzes the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in De Witt, IL, stands superior to urine testing due to its high detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, a hair test covers a broader spectrum of substances, offering a longer detection period.
Employers benefit significantly from this as it provides a deeper insight into an individual's substance history and ensures adherence to drug-free policies.

Extended Detection Window

With its extended detection window, hair follicle testing in De Witt, IL, surpasses other methods. Covering up to 90 days of drug use history, hair tests deliver a comprehensive overview.
Employers gain an in-depth understanding of a candidate's past usage, making informed hiring decisions easier and promoting a drug-free work environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing effectively prevents tampering, offering reliable results for De Witt, IL. This testing method significantly reduces the likelihood of sample adulteration, ensuring the integrity of the testing process.
For those requiring certainty in their testing outcomes, hair tests are virtually impossible to cheat, thereby providing peace of mind.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient, nationwide testing centers, including those in De Witt, IL, guarantee accessible services for clients across regions.
Whether local or further afield, users can enjoy a quick and hassle-free testing experience, leveraging numerous Accredited Drug Testing locations for their needs.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of ordering, undergoing, and receiving results in De Witt, IL, is both simple and confidential. Accredited Drug Testing prioritizes user privacy while ensuring ease of access.
Clients can rest easy knowing their information remains protected, with a straightforward testing process from start to finish.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in De Witt, IL offers affordable pricing with competitive rates across services. Coupled with fast turnaround times, this provides immense value.
Businesses of all sizes can confidently rely on our services, ensuring timely and cost-effective testing solutions to maintain workplace standards.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and quickness of hair follicle testing ensure highly accurate substance detection in De Witt, IL. Swift results combined with detailed reporting provide a dependable resource for both employers and individuals.
The technology behind hair testing offers dependable results promptly, making it an ideal choice for time-sensitive situations where accuracy is crucial.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in De Witt, IL, ensures compliance with workplace policies. By minimizing illegal drug presence, it mitigates legal risks and fosters a safer environment.
Employers are assured that their organization remains within compliance, creating a more secure and comfortable workplace for all employees.

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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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