Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Harding, KS

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has evolved into a crucial method for identifying alcohol and drug usage. It offers an extended history of substances by embedding biomarkers in the expanding hair strand. When hair is gathered near the scalp, it provides roughly a 3-month period to detect alcohol and drugs. It is straightforward to collect, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch section of around 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the perfect amount for both screening and confirmation. For tests like EtG, add-ons, and those exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advisable. It is suggested to measure the specimen with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be collected. When we mention head hair, we're specifically talking about scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other varieties (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary steps in lab processing for a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning consists of the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory’s system. This process ensures the sample's seal and shipment are intact, assigns it a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and finalizes any additional data that wasn’t provided by an electronic custody chain system.

Screening acts as a preliminary drug abuse detection. It is a cost-efficient strategy to dismiss drug presence in most samples, yet a positive result requires confirmation for legal admissibility. All samples that test positive during Screening need a secondary confirmation.

In cases where Screening returns a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. This phase isolates drugs from hair at significantly lower levels than other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), which makes hair screening the most intricate method.

Any positive screening result undergoes Confirmation through techniques like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Importantly, samples that are presumptively positive are washed before Confirmation if necessary. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is governed by both the CAP Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection span: Hair drug examinations can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a shorter detection span.
• Resistance to alteration: It is highly challenging to manipulate hair drug tests, resulting in more reliable outcomes.
• Offers historical insight: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over time, beyond mere recent use.

Limitations:

• Incapable of identifying recent use: There is a lag of about 5-7 days before drugs become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug screenings are often more costly than alternative testing methods.
• Result variability: Variables such as hair color and individual hair growth differences can impact the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", this test examines the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why does hair follicle testing outshine urine tests in Harding, KS? The benefits are clear. Hair tests provide unparalleled detection accuracy and reliability, capturing drug use history beyond the scope of traditional methods. While urine tests cover short windows, hair tests excel in offering a comprehensive substance use profile.

Extended Detection Window

In Harding, KS, hair follicle tests offer an extended detection window, analyzing drug use up to 90 days prior. This advantage gives employers insight into an individual's long-term substance history. Such extensive detection allows a more complete assessment of an employee, outperforming traditional testing methods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Harding, KS benefits from hair follicle testing's resistance to tampering. This method significantly decreases the chance of sample adulteration, securing trustworthy, incontestable results. Employers and legal authorities appreciate the robust integrity of hair tests, fostering trust in test outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With accessible testing centers nationwide, including Harding, KS, users find hair follicle testing convenient and efficient. Our locations ensure straightforward, hassle-free access to testing services, enabling comprehensive, timely drug testing without geographic constraints for both individuals and organizations.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Harding, KS, the hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential. Clients enjoy an easy ordering process, seamless testing, and private result delivery. Such simplicity and confidentiality assuage privacy concerns, making the experience user-friendly and worry-free for all involved parties.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and swift results in Harding, KS, hair follicle testing provides great value. The affordability and quick turnaround times support businesses, ensuring stress-free, cost-effective solutions in line with companies' varied needs, fostering reliable and economical choices.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Harding, KS, hair follicle testing ensures fast, reliable, and precise results. With superior accuracy, it efficiently identifies substance use, offering quick and trustworthy outcomes. This method is efficient, minimizing waiting times while maintaining high accuracy, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a dependable drug-testing solution.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Harding, KS find peace of mind with hair follicle testing. Assuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies, this method minimizes legal complications and enhances safety. Employers maintain confidence in a secure, compliant work environment, promoting a healthier, more productive space.

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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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