Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Palmer, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair assays are now viewed as a robust mechanism for spotting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a long-standing record of substance use by capturing biomarkers in the strands of growing hair. When sampled near the scalp, hair offers approximately a three-month surveillance period for drugs and alcohol. Hair is easy to gather, moderately resistant to tampering, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment with roughly 200 hair strands (about the size of a #2 pencil) taken nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the ideal quantity for screening and verification. For EtG, add-ons, and/or panels exceeding 10 tests, a 150mg sample is suggested. It's advisable to gauge the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent measure of body hair is permissible. By head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes all other hair varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key four phases in the lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial sample handling into a lab's system. This process checks if the sample was correctly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fills in any extra data not available through an electronic chain-of-custody system.

Screening involves an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening is an economical approach to dismiss drug usage in most samples, a positive screen needs validation to be admissible in court. Any sample indicating a presumptive positive in Screening must undergo a secondary verification.

In cases where a sample reveals a presumptive positive in Screening, additional hair is retrieved from the initial sample for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at notably low concentration levels compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging technique to execute.

Confirmation for any affirmed positive screening result is done via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair category and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 criteria.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Prolonged detection span: Hair drug examinations can detect drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter detection duration.
• Hard to tamper: It's exceedingly challenging to tamper with a hair drug test, ensuring more accurate outcomes.
• Offers historical insights: It can provide a timeline of drug use over a duration, rather than just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: It requires about 5-7 days for drugs to become evident in hair.
• Cost: Hair drug tests are typically costlier than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal variations in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: While often labeled as "hair follicle tests," the examination itself evaluates the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Palmer, IL, hair follicle testing outshines traditional urine tests. With superior detection accuracy, hair testing provides a reliable examination of drug use by identifying substance consumption over a more extended period. Unlike urine tests, which focus on short-term use, hair testing captures a comprehensive overview of drug habits, making it a valuable tool for employers and organizations dedicated to maintaining a drug-free environment.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window of up to 90 days, making it invaluable for employers in Palmer, IL. This method provides a thorough view of an individual's drug use history, far beyond the capabilities of other testing methods.

For those looking for a comprehensive understanding of an applicant or employee's substance habits, hair testing stands out as the most informative option.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Palmer, IL, the hair follicle testing method is a tamper-resistant solution for drug screening. The procedures involved make it extremely difficult to adulterate samples, ensuring the integrity and reliability of results.

By minimizing the risk of sample tampering, hair testing offers employers and authorities trustworthy and undeniable evidence of substance use.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers convenient testing facilities both nationwide and in Palmer, IL. Streamlined accessibility ensures businesses can quickly administer tests without hassle. With a network of locations, finding a nearby center is never an issue, making the testing process stress-free and efficient for companies and individuals alike.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Palmer, IL, our hair follicle testing process is simple and confidential. Ordering, taking the test, and receiving results is straightforward, assuring privacy and ease of use. Individuals can be confident in the discreetness of the process, knowing their information is handled with care and professionalism.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Palmer, IL benefits from our competitive pricing and fast turnaround for hair follicle tests. Our affordable rates provide value to companies of all sizes, with results delivered swiftly for peace of mind. The combination of cost-effectiveness and speedy service makes hair testing an attractive option for budget-conscious organizations.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Palmer, IL, hair follicle drug tests deliver fast, accurate, and reliable results. The precision of these tests ensures high accuracy, enabling detection of substance use with confidence. Speed is of the essence, and our streamlined process guarantees quick turnaround times.

Choosing hair testing means embracing a method that's as precise as it is quick, ensuring you get the answers you need without delay.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Palmer, IL, hair follicle testing provides compliance and peace of mind. Ensuring adherence to drug-free policies reduces legal risks and bolsters workplace safety. By utilizing hair testing, companies can trust in the reliability of the results and the protection of their operations from the influence of substance abuse.

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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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