Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Francesville, IN

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective means for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a detailed history of alcohol and drug intake by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. When clipped close to the scalp, hair can provide a detection range of up to about three months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is easy to perform, not easily tampered with, and straightforward to send to labs.

A 1.5-inch piece of roughly 200 hair strands (around the size of a #2 pencil) near the scalp will yield 100mg, the perfect weight for screening and confirming. For EtG, additional tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the hair. If scalp hair is unavailabile, an equal quantity of body hair can be used. Note that head hair means scalp hair. Body hair refers to all other hair categories (facial, axillary, etc.).

Procedure Summary

The laboratory process for a drug test result involves four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes initially registering the sample in the lab's system. This involves checking the sample’s seal and correct shipment, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any remaining data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary drug abuse check. While Screening is an economical approach to eliminate most negative samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to be acceptable in a court setting. Samples that are presumptively positive in Screening do require a secondary confirmation.

Once a sample is deemed presumptively positive in Screening, more hair gets extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. In this stage, drugs are pulled from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), rendering hair drug screening as the most challenging method to carry out.

Confirmation of any positive result from Screening is done via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation if needed. The whole lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection range: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, while urine tests have a shorter detection range.
• Difficulty in deception: It is extremely hard to deceive a hair drug test, increasing result accuracy.
• Historical data provision: It can show a drug use pattern over a duration not limited to recent use.

Drawbacks:

• Unable to detect recent usage: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Divergence in outcomes: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth differences can impact the detection level of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the test analyzes the hair strand rather than the follicle itself.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing excels over traditional urine testing methods in Francesville, IN, due to its superior detection capabilities and reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair tests provide a longer detection window, ensuring substances used over a 90-day period are identified. The enhanced accuracy and reduced likelihood of test evasion make hair follicle testing an attractive option for those enforcing zero-tolerance policies.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Francesville, IN, benefit from hair follicle testing’s ability to detect drug use across an extended timeline of up to 90 days. This broader detection window gives employers a detailed insight into a candidate's or employee's substance habits, offering a more substantial basis for employment decisions and reinforcing the commitment to a drug-free workplace environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Francesville, IN, ensures more reliable results by being inherently tamper-resistant. The test reduces the risk of sample adulteration or substitution, guaranteeing that collected results are genuine and trustworthy. This feature makes hair tests a foolproof solution for obtaining credible evidence of drug use, reassuring both employers and legal entities.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Francesville, IN, benefits from convenient access to nationwide testing centers, providing quick, seamless, and stress-free drug testing services. With locations readily available locally and across the nation, individuals and businesses in Francesville ensure easy access to accurate testing options without unnecessary travel or delays.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Francesville, IN, the process for hair follicle testing is straightforward and confidential. From ordering to taking the test and obtaining results, the procedure prioritizes privacy and ease of use. This simplicity ensures participants feel confident in the security of their data and the overall testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Hair follicle drug testing in Francesville, IN, offers great value with competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times. Businesses, regardless of size, can enjoy affordable and efficient solutions for substance testing, providing both economic advantages and peace of mind with reliable and prompt results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Francesville, IN, hair follicle drug testing offers fast and reliable results. These tests are known for their high precision, ensuring accurate detection of substance use. Hair tests can promptly uncover the presence of drugs due to their unique ability to capture a complete picture of someone's substance history, offering both speed and accuracy that are unparalleled in drug testing methodologies.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Francesville, IN, gain peace of mind using hair follicle testing by ensuring strict compliance with workplace drug-free policies. This method reduces legal risks and promotes a safe work environment. Reliable and thorough hair drug testing aligns with regulatory standards, supporting the integrity and safety of the workplace atmosphere.

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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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