Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lerna, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as an effective means to identify drug and alcohol usage. Hair offers a comprehensive history of substance intake by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When retrieved near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol intake for up to roughly three months. Collecting hair is an uncomplicated process, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch section of about 200 hair strands (approximately the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp constitutes 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, supplementary tests, and/or more than 10 panels, 150mg is advised. It's suggested to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, a similar quantity of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, it specifically means scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four primary steps in processing a drug test result in the laboratory are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step where a sample is processed into the lab’s system. This step involves ensuring the sample is sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional entries not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails a preliminary check for drugs of abuse. While it is an economical approach to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for courtroom acceptance. Samples that test presumptively positive in Screening require secondary confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods like urine or oral fluid, making hair drug screening the most complex method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that are presumptively positive are washed prior to confirmation as required. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed 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 can detect drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a much shorter timeframe.
• Difficult to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, rendering the findings more reliable.
• Reveals usage patterns: It provides insights into drug use trends over time, rather than just recent intake.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect immediate use: Drugs become detectable in hair only after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically pricier than other methods of drug testing.
• Result variations: Factors such as hair color and individual differences in hair growth may impact the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is often used, but the test actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In comparing hair follicle tests with traditional urine tests, hair testing emerges superior due to its advanced detection accuracy and reliability. While urine tests may focus on recent usage, hair tests provide a broader view of an individual's drug history. In Lerna, IL, the long-term detection capabilities of hair tests make them a more dependable choice for employers seeking thorough drug screenings.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window offered by hair follicle testing in Lerna, IL, spans up to 90 days, showcasing its ability to give an in-depth look at the substance history of an applicant or employee. This broader timeframe provides employers with a better understanding of long-term drug use patterns, making hair tests an invaluable tool for comprehensive employment screenings.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Lerna, IL, present a tamper-resistant testing method, significantly minimizing chances of sample adulteration. The method provides reliable and credible results that are hard to question. This resistance to tampering ensures that the outcomes truly reflect the individual's drug use, offering peace of mind to employers.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our nationwide testing centers, including local ones in Lerna, IL, ensure convenient and hassle-free access to drug testing services. These centers provide easy and swift testing options, making it convenient for individuals and companies alike to undergo needed tests without any unnecessary delays. The accessibility of these locations streamlines the testing process efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Lerna, IL, the hair follicle testing procedure is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering the test to obtaining results, the process is straightforward and protects privacy. This ease of use gives peace of mind to individuals and organizations alike, ensuring that concerns about confidentiality and simplicity are thoroughly addressed.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Lerna, IL, our hair testing services boast affordable pricing and fast turnaround times. These attributes offer excellent value, ensuring that companies of varying sizes can benefit from our services without strain on their financial resources. With competitive rates and speedy results, businesses can maintain both budgetary and operational efficiency.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Lerna, IL, are praised for their fast, accurate, and reliable results. These tests provide precision and speed in identifying substance use, making them a top choice for many organizations. By detecting traces of drugs efficiently, they ensure confidence in the outcomes. With swift processing and high accuracy, hair tests stand out as a preferred method.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Lerna, IL, provides employers with compliance and peace of mind regarding drug-free workplace policies. It reduces legal risks and boosts workplace safety by ensuring adherence to established policies. This testing method supports professional environments aiming to maintain zero-tolerance policies while upholding high standards of safety and compliance.

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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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