Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bevington, IA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a robust method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a long-term record of alcohol and drug intake by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer up to about a 3-month period for detecting alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, relatively hard to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch section of approximately 200 hairs (roughly the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will offer 100mg of hair, the perfect sample for testing and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is recommended to measure the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not present, a comparable amount of body hair can be collected. When referencing head hair, we mean scalp hair only. Body hair includes all other hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test outcome are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the initial intake of a sample into a lab’s system. This involves confirming the sample was sealed and sent properly, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishing any additional data entry not included by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of an initial quick evaluation for drug abuse. While Screening is an economical way to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Any samples tentatively positive in Screening need a further confirmation.

In the event of a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, more hair is taken from the original sample and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at notably lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the most challenging methods to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive result from screening is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples preliminarily positive are cleaned before confirmation when needed. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed by both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection time.
• Hard to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is very challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insights: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Cannot spot recent usage: It usually takes 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are generally pricier than other drug testing approaches.
• Result variability: Factors including hair color and individual hair growth rates can influence drug metabolite levels in the hair.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand and not the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Bevington, IA, the preference for hair follicle testing over urine testing is ever-growing. With advantages like enhanced detection precision and reliability, hair testing is emerging as a superior option. While urine tests might catch recent drug use, hair tests are more reliable when considering long-term usage patterns, providing high accuracy that companies and legal organizations find invaluable.

Extended Detection Window

The benefit of hair follicle testing in Bevington, IA lies in its extended detection window, up to 90 days. This long-term view on substance history is essential for employers seeking a comprehensive understanding of an employee or applicant's drug use landscape, offering crucial insights for better hiring decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Bevington, IA, the robustness of hair follicle tests shines through their tamper-resistant nature. By significantly minimizing the potential for sample adulteration, they offer reliable, indisputable results. This level of integrity is crucial for entities requiring unfailing verification of test subjects' drug use history.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accessing drug testing services in Bevington, IA is convenient with national testing centers readily available. These locations ensure that testing remains a quick, seamless process, facilitating both individuals and organizations to easily undertake necessary evaluations without hassle or delay, elevating testing accessibility.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Bevington, IA, the simple and confidential nature of the drug testing process ensures user reassurance. From order and execution to receiving results, each step prioritizes privacy and ease, allowing individuals and companies to engage with the process without concerns over confidentiality or complexity.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our competitive pricing structures in Bevington, IA, combined with fast turnaround times, provide optimum value. Businesses of all sizes benefit from cost-effective services that quickly deliver results, offering both financial efficiency and a reliable way to manage workplace policy compliance with ease.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Residents of Bevington, IA are choosing hair follicle drug tests for their speed and precision. Known for providing quick and accurate outcomes, these tests efficiently track substance use. The meticulous nature of these tests, paired with their swift result generation, stands out against traditional methods, making them a favored choice for immediate and exact results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Bevington, IA gives employers a foundation for compliance with workplace drug policies. This method not only helps in avoiding legal pitfalls but also enhances the overall safety and professionalism of the workplace by adhering to zero-tolerance standards against 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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