Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Farmington, IL

What it is, How it works

The adoption of hair analysis has risen as an effective means for identifying alcohol and drug consumption. Hair strands hold a long-term record of drug and alcohol use by encapsulating biomarkers within their fibers. Collected near the scalp, hair offers an approximate 3-month detection period for alcohol and other substances. Its collection is straightforward, difficult to modify, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch quantity comprising around 200 hair strands (equivalent to the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp produces 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for testing and confirmation. For EtG, additional screenings, or tests that exceed 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. It's suggested to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't present, an equivalent volume of body hair can be obtained. "Head hair" specifically refers to scalp hair, whereas "body hair" denotes all other types such as facial, axillary, etc.

Process Summary

The main procedures in laboratory processing for drug testing results include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the preliminary incorporation of a sample into the lab’s system. This step ensures the sample was sealed and delivered correctly, generates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any supplementary data entry absent in electronic chain of custody records.

Screening denotes a preliminary and swift evaluation for substance misuse. Although Screening efficiently excludes drug usage in most samples, a confirmation of a positive screen is necessary for court acceptance. Samples flagged as presumptively positive in Screening require a follow-up confirmation.

Should a specimen be presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair from the original sample is extracted for Extraction. In this phase, substances are removed from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (ex. urine or oral fluid); hence, hair drug analysis is the most challenging method to execute.

Any positive Screening result undergoes Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are cleansed before the confirmation process as needed. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning through to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair specification and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditations.

Benefits of hair drug assessment:

• Extended detection period: Hair analysis can trace drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine evaluations which have a narrower detection timeframe.
• Hard to deceive: It's extremely challenging to falsify a hair drug evaluation, enhancing the precision of the outcomes.
• Archives historical intake data: It can disclose a drug usage trend over time, rather than just recent consumption.

Challenges:

• Incapability to identify immediate usage: It takes about 5-7 days for substances to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug analyses generally cost more compared to alternative drug testing techniques.
• Result discrepancies: Elements such as hair color and individual hair growth discrepancies can impact the levels of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Commonly known as "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand itself, not the follicle within the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Farmington, IL, hair follicle testing surpasses urine testing due to its superior detection capabilities. While traditional urine tests are common, hair tests offer greater reliability. Extended detection periods and resistance to tampering make hair tests a favored choice.

• Comprehensive detection for up to 90 days.
• More robust against common evasion techniques.
• Highly favored by employers with strict drug policies.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Farmington, IL, benefit greatly from hair follicle testing's extended detection window. This method reviews drug use over a longer timeframe, up to 90 days, offering a holistic view of a person's substance habits.

• Comprehensive historical analysis of drug use.
• Provides employers with a detailed drug history.
• Enhanced screening accuracy over longer periods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The hair follicle test stands out in Farmington, IL, due to its robust tamper-resistant nature. It significantly curtails the risk of adulteration, yielding dependable results.

• Collected under observed conditions to prevent tampering.
• Proven reliability through secure collection processes.
• Produces results that are virtually unquestionable and accurate.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With accessible testing centers nationwide, including Farmington, IL, the convenience of Accredited Drug Testing is unmatched. Nationwide presence facilitates easy access to testing services.

• Local and national options facilitate convenience.
• Quick and hassle-free testing access for all clients.
• Simplifies the process with nationwide coverage.

Simple, Confidential Process

Farmington, IL, offers a simple, confidential process for drug testing. Our approach ensures ease from scheduling to results delivery, with a focus on privacy.

• Streamlined procedures for ordering tests.
• Confidentiality maintained throughout the process.
• Simplicity in receiving and understanding results.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

The competitive pricing and quick turnaround times in Farmington, IL, make hair follicle testing a cost-effective choice for companies. There are great value propositions for businesses in opting for these tests.

• Budget-friendly, competitive pricing applicable to all sizes of companies.
• Renders fast results to aid swift decision-making.
• Ensures excellent value and service quality.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The speed and precision of hair follicle drug tests in Farmington, IL, make them highly dependable. Hair tests surpass others by offering swift, accurate assessments of substance use, providing tangible results that are critical for employers and authorities.

• Quick turnaround time ensures timely decisions.
• Precision in detection minimizes false positives and negatives.
• Meets high accuracy standards consistently, ensuring reliable data.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing in Farmington, IL, ensures peace of mind for employers, bridging compliance with drug-free workplace mandates while reducing legal liabilities.

• Enhances workplace safety through comprehensive testing.
• Minimizes legal risks with compliant testing methods.
• Supports the maintenance of strict workplace drug policies.

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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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