Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Godfrey, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair assessments have emerged as an influential technique for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a historical record of alcohol and drugs by entrapping biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection window of up to around three months for alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, somewhat hard to tamper with, and simple to dispatch.

A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the size of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for both screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It's recommended to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unattainable, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be gathered. When mentioning head hair, it refers exclusively to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four key phases in laboratory processing of a drug testing result comprise Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning features the preliminary processing of a sample into a lab’s system. This procedure entails validating that the sample was sealed and shipped correctly, designating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any supplementary data input not delivered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is an initial rapid assessment for substance abuse. Although Screening is a budget-friendly method to exclude drug usage on the majority of samples, a positive result in Screening must be confirmed to be court-admissible. Each sample that is presumptively positive in Screening necessitates a follow-up confirmation.

If a sample appears presumptively positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is retrieved from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at considerably lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug assessments represent the most challenging methodology.

Validation of any positive screening outcome is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. The entirety of the lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair analyses can spot drug use for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests with a shorter detection period.
• Hard to deceive: It's extremely tough to deceive a hair drug evaluation, thus ensuring more precise results.
• Delivers historical insight: It can offer a timeline of drug usage over a duration, beyond merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: It takes roughly 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair assessments generally cost more than alternative drug testing methodologies.
• Result variations: Elements such as hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence the drug metabolite concentration in the hair.

Note: While it's often dubbed "hair follicle tests", the analysis evaluates the hair strand and not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Comparing hair and urine tests, the advantages of hair testing in Godfrey, IL are clear. Hair tests provide superior detection accuracy and reliability over traditional urine tests, making them the preferred choice for employers and other entities concerned about substance abuse.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle tests in Godfrey, IL offers a major advantage. Unlike urine tests, hair tests can detect drug use for up to 90 days, providing employers with a comprehensive overview of an individual’s substance history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

One of the key benefits of hair follicle testing in Godfrey, IL is its tamper-resistant nature. These tests significantly lower the risk of sample adulteration, providing a trustworthy assessment of substance use that is hard to contest.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With testing centers nationwide, including in Godfrey, IL, accessing our hair follicle testing services is easy and convenient. Our extensive network ensures rapid and hassle-free testing, catering to the needs of clients promptly.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Godfrey, IL is both straightforward and confidential. Ordering, administering, and receiving results is seamless, maintaining privacy and simplicity for all involved in the testing procedure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Godfrey, IL, our hair follicle testing offers competitive pricing and swift turnaround times. Companies of all sizes benefit from our cost-effective solutions and fast service, ensuring peace of mind alongside excellent value.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Godfrey, IL, hair follicle tests stand out for their precision and speed. They are highly accurate in revealing substance use, offering reliable results that can be trusted for various requirements. With their quick turnaround, these tests help in making timely decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing in Godfrey, IL ensures compliance with workplace drug policies. This method supports legal safety and promotes a secure work environment, offering peace of mind to employers who need to enforce drug-free 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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