Hair Follicle Drug Testing - New Whiteland, IN

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged record of alcohol and drugs by ensnaring biomarkers within the fibers of the emerging hair strand. When harvested near the scalp, hair offers approximately a 3-month window of detection for alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively tamper-resistant, and effortless to transport.

A segment measuring 1.5 inches consisting of about 200 hair strands (roughly the size of a #2 pencil) near the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the perfect sample for testing and verification. For EtG, additional analyses, and/or examinations exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler's scale to weigh the specimen. In the absence of scalp hair, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. When discussing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair varieties (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The procedure for processing a drug test result in a laboratory involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the initial handling of a sample within a laboratory's system. This step confirms that the sample was appropriately sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and concludes any supplementary data input absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening performs an initial rapid assessment for abuse drugs. Although Screening is an economical method to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive result must be verified to be valid in legal settings. Any samples preliminarily positive during Screening necessitate a secondary verification.

If a specimen is initially positive in the Screening phase, extra hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are derived from the hair at a considerably lower concentration compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug analysis a complex methodology.

Verification of any positive screening result occurs via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All initially positive samples are cleansed before verification if needed. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined 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 analyses identify drug consumption for up to 90 days, while urine tests offer a shorter detection duration.
• Hard to manipulate: Manipulating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, enhancing the accuracy of the results.
• Historical insight: It can depict a pattern of drug usage over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Unable to identify recent consumption: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug analyses generally incur higher costs compared to other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence the presence of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In New Whiteland, IN, hair follicle testing holds distinct advantages over traditional urine tests. Offering superior detection accuracy, it reveals substance use patterns that urine tests might miss. Whereas urine testing offers a shorter detection span, hair tests reach further back, providing a detailed insight into a person's history, thereby supporting informed decision-making.

Extended Detection Window

In New Whiteland, IN, hair follicle testing is instrumental in offering a prolonged detection timeframe for substance use. This method captures up to 90 days of drug use history, providing a comprehensive profile of an individual's habits. Employers appreciate this extended window, as it lends a broader perspective on potential employees' or even existing employees' substance usage.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing is renowned for its robustness against tampering in New Whiteland, IN. It significantly curtails the chances of sample manipulation, ensuring the results are both reliable and irrefutable. For institutions focused on preventing cheating during drug screening, this method provides a nearly foolproof solution.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our broad network of testing locations, including those in New Whiteland, IN, ensures that hair follicle testing is convenient and accessible. Whether you're in the heart of a city or a smaller town, finding a nearby center that provides swift, simple access to testing services is effortless, adding incredible convenience to our clients.

Simple, Confidential Process

In New Whiteland, IN, the process for hair follicle testing is streamlined and confidential. Ordering, taking the test, and receiving results is designed to be straightforward, removing concerns over privacy and complexity. This ease of use makes the entire procedure user-friendly and non-intrusive.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

New Whiteland, IN, benefits from affordable hair follicle testing services that emphasize competitive pricing and rapid result delivery. These cost-effective choices offer enhanced value for companies of various sizes, ensuring they obtain accurate testing without compromising on either costs or turnaround times.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug testing in New Whiteland, IN, is known for its exceptional precision and expediency. When an accurate determination of substance use is critical, hair testing stands out. This method offers unparalleled speed and accuracy, ensuring reliability in results. With rapid processing times, outcomes are delivered swiftly, providing peace of mind and enabling timely decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in New Whiteland, IN, find peace of mind with hair follicle testing, ensuring adherence to drug-free workplace policies. This method reduces legal risks and enhances safety. By conforming to these standards, companies maintain compliance, substantially mitigating the chance of drug-related incidents in the workplace.

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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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