Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hillsdale, IN

What it is, How it works

Detection through hair testing is emerging as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair serves as a long-term record for alcohol and other substances by encapsulating biomarkers in the strand's growing fibers. When gathered close to the scalp, hair can offer a detection period extending up to roughly three months for alcohol and drugs. The collection process for hair is straightforward, tampering is relatively challenging, and transporting is convenient.

A sample size of 1.5 inches consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the ideal measurement for assessment and verification. For EtG, add-ons, and/or assessments beyond 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is suggested. We advise using a jeweler’s scale to measure the specimen. Should scalp hair be unavailable, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be gathered. By referring to head hair, we mean scalp hair strictly. Body hair includes every other type of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of drug test results comprises four vital steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the preliminary processing of a specimen into a laboratory's framework. This encompasses ensuring the sample is sealed and shipped correctly, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and filling any additional data entry void not managed by an electronic chain of custody mechanism.

Screening pertains to an initial expedient assessment for drug abuse. Screening is an economical method to eliminate drug usage in the bulk of specimens; however, a positive screen warrants confirmation for courtroom admissibility. Any samples showing presumptive positivity in Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.

If a sample displays presumptive positivity during the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the primary specimen and prepped for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most intricate methodology to execute.

Confirmation for any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive specimens are washed before confirmation as required. The entire laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify drug use up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests, offering briefer detection windows.
• Challenging to manipulate: Manipulating a hair drug test is highly challenging, ensuring more precise outcomes.
• Provides usage history: It provides a drug usage pattern over time, beyond recent usage alone.

Limitations:

• Non-detection of recent use: Drugs take roughly 5-7 days to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are generally costlier relative to alternative drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth variation can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests," the analysis encompasses the hair strand solely and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Hillsdale, IN: Hair testing surpasses traditional urine tests due to its superior detection accuracy and reliability. Employers benefit from the long detection window that hair testing provides, capturing a comprehensive substance use timeline.

Hair tests offer advantages such as a longer detection period, making it a more thorough choice for identifying drug use. The reliability of results further sets this method apart from urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Hillsdale, IN: Hair follicle testing offers a profound advantage with its extended detection window, identifying drug use up to 90 days. This gives employers a broad view of an employee's or applicant’s history.

Unlike urine tests, which are limited to recent use, hair tests provide a historical perspective, enhancing the understanding of an individual's substance use patterns, and informing better hiring and management decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Hillsdale, IN: Hair follicle tests offer resistance to sample tampering. This method significantly reduces the risk of adulteration, leading to unquestionable, reliable results.

With observed collection processes, hair testing ensures that results can't be manipulated, providing stakeholders with the assurance needed for critical decisions.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Hillsdale, IN: Our widespread network of testing centers, including those in Hillsdale, offers hassle-free and efficient access to our services.

With local and nationwide availability, individuals and companies alike find ease and convenience, ensuring seamless integration into their operations or daily routines.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Hillsdale, IN: Our hair follicle testing service provides a discreet, straightforward process. From ordering to testing, and receiving results, confidentiality and simplicity are our priorities.

Customers can trust in the privacy of the procedure, feeling secure in both the process and the results, making it an ideal choice for various testing needs.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Hillsdale, IN: Competitive pricing and rapid results make our hair follicle testing financially attractive without compromising on quality.

Our prompt turnaround times coupled with economic price points offer outstanding value, catering to businesses of any size seeking cost-effective testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Hillsdale, IN: Hair follicle drug tests provide quick, precise results, unmatched in their accuracy. This method stands out for its ability to detect a wide range of substances with speed and confidence, ensuring reliable outcomes for employers.

The precision of hair follicle testing is complemented by swift result delivery, ensuring that employers can make informed decisions promptly. This method's reliability is a cornerstone of its growing popularity.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Hillsdale, IN: Employing hair follicle tests assists in maintaining compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This reduces legal risks and enhances the overall safety and integrity of work environments.

Implementing hair testing safeguards employers against unlawful activity, ensuring a healthier, more secure 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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