Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Cedar Vale, KS

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is being recognized as a potent instrument for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a timeline of alcohol and drug use by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the hair strand as it grows. When collected near the scalp, hair presents an approximate 3-month timeframe for detecting alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, challenging to alter, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch specimen of roughly 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil's thickness) closest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is optimal for screening and confirmation. For tests like EtG, add-ons, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is suggested. If scalp hair is inaccessible, a proportional quantity of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair only. Body hair encompasses all other hair varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary phases in processing a drug test result in the lab are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial introduction of a sample into the lab's system. It entails verifying that the sample was sealed and dispatched correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry, if not already covered by an electronic chain of custody process.

Screening involves a preliminary examination for drugs of abuse. While Screening is economically effective for negating drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be validated to be legally acceptable. Samples that test positive in Screening require additional confirmation.

If a specimen shows a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is retrieved from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug testing the most challenging method to execute.

Any positive screening outcome is confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All suspected positive samples are cleansed before confirmation when necessary. The comprehensive laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 criteria.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can identify drug consumption for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a limited detection span.
• Challenging to deceive: It's quite hard to falsify a hair drug test, resulting in more reliable outcomes.
• Offers historical insights: It provides a pattern of drug consumption over time, beyond just recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair only after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug testing is typically more costly than other drug testing approaches.
• Result disparities: Variables like hair color and differences in individual hair growth can influence drug metabolite levels in the hair.

Note: Despite often being termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Triumphs Over Urine Tests in Cedar Vale, KS:

• Longer detection windows that cover up to 90 days, unlike the limited timeframe of urine tests.
• Increased accuracy in results, ensuring reliable substance use detection.
• Reduced risk of manipulation or fraud, providing confidence in test outcomes.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing offers an Extended Detection Window in Cedar Vale, KS, advantageous to employers requiring comprehensive substance history analysis. By examining a period of up to 90 days, this test gives a deeper insight into an individual’s drug use history, thus aiding in informed decision-making regarding employment and compliance.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Utilizing hair follicle tests in Cedar Vale, KS, means utilizing a Tamper-Resistant Testing Method. Unlike other testing procedures, hair testing significantly reduces the possibility of sample alteration, providing results that are trustworthy and unassailable. This reliability makes it the preferred choice for ensuring uncompromised results in sensitive situations.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accentuating Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations in Cedar Vale, KS, including local sites, ensures that accessing testing services is straightforward. Enjoy nationwide coverage with a simple, hassle-free process that meets your testing needs efficiently wherever you may be, from urban centers to local facilities.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our testing regime in Cedar Vale, KS, is designed to be a Simple, Confidential Process. From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, each step is easy and private, addressing noise around techno-difficulty and ensuring your privacy concerns are managed effectively throughout the testing duration.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Benefit from Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Cedar Vale, KS. Our competitive rate structures combined with our prompt response time provide immense value to companies of varying sizes, ensuring they receive high-quality service without breaking the bank or compromising on speed.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and speed of hair follicle drug testing in Cedar Vale, KS, set it apart as a top choice for detecting substance use. This method, known for its high accuracy and reliability, ensures that results are not only fast but dependable. Get precise readings promptly, making it an invaluable tool for employers and testing professionals seeking efficient solutions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Cedar Vale, KS is guaranteed with hair follicle testing by adhering to drug-free policies. By integrating such exhaustive testing, companies mitigate legal risks and cultivate a safer workplace environment, crucial for both employee well-being and company reputation.

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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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