Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Ruthven, IA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now acknowledged as an effective method for identifying both alcohol and drug use. The hair retains historical information about alcohol and other drugs by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair strand. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period extending to roughly 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, relatively hard to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample comprising around 200 hair strands (approximately the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for screening and verification. For EtG, extra tests, and/or screenings beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is suggested. It's advisable to weigh the sample with a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent volume of body hair can be used. In discussing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair refers to all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning entails the sample's initial entry into a lab's system. This step includes verifying the proper sealing and shipment of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry if not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening comprises an initial rapid check for drugs of abuse. Though Screening is an economical way to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive screening result must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Any samples with a presumptive positive result in Screening require a secondary confirmation.

Should a sample test positive during the Screening stage, more hair from the original sample is taken for Extraction. In this step, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than with other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening particularly challenging to conduct.

The Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with a presumptive positive are cleaned before confirmation if necessary. The full laboratory procedure, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is examined under the 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 can identify drug use for up to 90 days, which is longer than the detection window of urine tests.
• Challenging to cheat: Cheating on a hair drug test is very difficult, leading to more reliable results.
• Provision of historical data: It allows the determination of drug use patterns over time, rather than just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs typically become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Higher cost: Hair drug tests usually cost more compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors including hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the test focuses on analyzing the hair strand itself rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Ruthven, IA stands out due to its superior detection accuracy and reliability over urine tests. While urine tests have their place, hair testing provides a more comprehensive view, making it a preferred choice for its effectiveness.

Extended Detection Window

In Ruthven, IA, the ability of hair follicle testing to detect drug use spanning up to 90 days gives employers an extended perspective on individual's substance use history. This extended detection window is critical for making informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests conducted in Ruthven, IA offer a tamper-resistant testing method. These tests lower the risk of sample adulteration, delivering dependable and ironclad results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With a network of testing locations nationwide, including centers in Ruthven, IA, accessing our testing services is convenient and hassle-free, ensuring swift service wherever you are.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process in Ruthven, IA is designed to be simple and confidential, from ordering to receiving results. We prioritize privacy, making the experience streamlined and respectful of individual concerns.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Ruthven, IA, our competitive pricing and fast turnaround times provide companies with significant value. Our services are structured to offer peace of mind from both a financial and efficiency standpoint.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The hair follicle drug test in Ruthven, IA ensures quick and accurate results. This method excels in offering precision and detecting substance usage with a higher rate of accuracy compared to traditional tests.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employing hair follicle testing in Ruthven, IA can assure compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This not only minimizes legal risks but also boosts overall workplace security.

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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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