Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Franklin, IA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as an effective resource for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the growing strand. When collected near the scalp, it can offer a detection window for alcohol and drugs of up to roughly 3 months. Hair is easy to collect, rather challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of around 200 hair strands (approximately matching the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the perfect specimen for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, a specimen weighing 150mg is suggested. It’s advisable to weigh the sample on a jeweler’s scale. Should head hair be unavailable, a corresponding amount of body hair can be collected. Head hair refers exclusively to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the initial integration of a sample into the lab’s system, including verifying correct sealing and shipping, issuing a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening constitutes a preliminary swift examination for drugs of abuse. While Screening efficiently dismisses drug usage in most cases, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Any sample presumptively positive in Screening mandates secondary confirmation.

On detecting a presumptively positive sample during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen to prepare for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are withdrawn from hair at a lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), rendering hair drug testing the most challenging methodology.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples are washed beforehand, as necessary. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated 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 window: Hair drug tests detect drug usage up to 90 days, while urine tests have a shorter timeline.
• Hard to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is exceedingly tough, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It portrays a drug usage pattern over time, rather than merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Drug presence in hair becomes detectable after roughly 5-7 days.
• Cost factor: Hair drug testing generally incurs higher expenses compared to other testing approaches.
• Result variability: Hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations.

Note: Commonly known as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Franklin, IA, hair follicle testing stands out against the traditional urine tests. Benefits show its superior detection ability and reliability.

• Broader detection periods
• High accuracy
• Limited tampering risk

Extended Detection Window

One compelling reason hair follicle testing is preferred in Franklin, IA over other methods is its extended detection window. It can identify drug use for up to 90 days, offering a thorough view of an individual's substance use history. This long history is vital for employers wishing to understand an applicant’s or employee’s long-term behavior patterns.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Franklin, IA present a tamper-resistant method. Sample adulteration risk is drastically minimized, giving credible and unalterable results. This aspect is essential for organizations needing trustworthy and precise outcomes, offering their drug testing programs integrity and reliability.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With nationwide testing centers and local facilities in Franklin, IA, Accredited Drug Testing provides convenient access to our services. This extensive network ensures that testing remains a seamless and stress-free experience, reducing wait times and supporting quicker test administration.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our testing process in Franklin, IA is simple and confidential. Clients can expect a straightforward procedure from booking an appointment to obtaining results. We maintain the utmost privacy at every stage to address any confidentiality concerns, delivering ease of use and peace of mind.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our services in Franklin, IA offer affordable pricing and quick turnaround times. This makes hair follicle testing accessible and valuable for businesses of all sizes, ensuring tests are conducted swiftly and economically, while maintaining high standards of accuracy and reliability.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle tests in Franklin, IA are known for their quickness and precision. These tests offer an exceptionally high level of accuracy in identifying substance use, providing results that organizations can trust. The ability to detect a wide range of substances quickly ensures timely responses and actions, which is crucial in maintaining a safe and drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Adopting hair follicle testing in Franklin, IA supports compliance with workplace drug-free policies. It not only mitigates legal risks but also enhances overall safety. With this method, employers can achieve peace of mind knowing that their drug testing process upholds policy compliance.

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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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