Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Prairie Village, KS

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures long-term evidence of alcohol and drug intake by incorporating biomarkers within its fibers as it grows. When collected near the scalp, hair offers an approximate 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the girth of a #2 pencil) nearby the scalp supplies 100mg of hair, ideal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or testing beyond 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advised. It's suggested to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If head hair is inaccessible, body hair of an equivalent amount can be collected. When noting head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair. Body hair signifies any other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four fundamental stages in laboratory processing of a drug test are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary processing of a specimen into the laboratory's system. This phase includes ensuring the sample is correctly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any additional data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers an initial rapid examination for drug abuse. Although Screening is an economical approach to exclude drug use in numerous samples, a confirmed positive screen is necessary for court-admissibility. Those samples with a provisional positive in Screening need further confirmation.

If a sample shows a provisional positive in Screening, further hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are withdrawn from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other techniques (ex. urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening the most challenging technique to conduct.

Any positive result in screening necessitates confirmation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any presumptive positives undergo washing prior to confirming if required. The entire laboratory workflow from Accessioning through Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can reveal drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which present a more limited timeframe.
• Harder to falsify: The accuracy of hair drug tests is reinforced by the challenge in falsifying them.
• Chronological evidence: It helps in establishing a drug use pattern over time, beyond immediate consumption.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect immediate consumption: Drugs become traceable in hair around 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically more costly relative to other drug test methods.
• Outcome variability: Aspects like hair color and differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite levels in the hair.

Note: Referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand rather than the hair follicle under the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing holds significant advantages over urine tests in Prairie Village, KS. The enhanced detection accuracy and reliability of hair tests make them superior. Unlike urine tests, which offer more immediate detection, hair tests provide a much broader detection range, giving a comprehensive view of substance use.

Moreover, hair tests are almost impossible to tamper with, ensuring reliable results. This makes them a preferred option for those prioritizing accuracy in drug monitoring in Prairie Village.

Extended Detection Window

In Prairie Village, KS, hair follicle testing provides an extensive drug use detection window of up to 90 days. This prolonged period allows employers to gain a thorough understanding of an individual's substance history, offering insights that extend beyond what short-term testing methods can provide.

Employers benefit from this extended detection capability, as they can better assess the suitability of an applicant or an employee’s reliability over time.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Prairie Village, KS residents trust hair follicle tests for their tamper-resistant nature. These tests drastically decrease the possibility of sample adulteration, which is a significant concern with other testing methods, like urine tests, ensuring results remain credible and irrefutable.

This level of test integrity is crucial for maintaining trust, especially for employers who depend on genuine results for decision-making in employment practices.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Prairie Village, KS, benefit from the ease of access to numerous hair follicle testing centers nationwide, simplifying the testing process. These strategically positioned centers ensure quick, convenient testing availability, making the entire process efficient and hassle-free.

This network of locations provides seamless service for both individuals and companies, emphasizing convenience and simplicity in drug testing.

Simple, Confidential Process

Prairie Village, KS residents experience a straightforward and confidential process for hair follicle testing. From ordering to obtaining results, each step is designed with privacy in mind, ensuring user comfort and confidentiality.

The process caters to those seeking a simple yet effective service, with results delivered in a professional manner, addressing all privacy concerns effectively.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Prairie Village, KS offers competitive rates for hair follicle testing, coupled with rapid turnaround times, presenting an excellent investment for businesses of every size. The affordability factor, combined with speedy outcomes, provides solid value and peace of mind.

This approach ensures that employers do not have to compromise on quality or budget, attaining accurate results promptly without financial strain.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Prairie Village, KS, hair follicle drug testing is quick and yields accurate outcomes, offering exceptional precision in substance detection. These tests are meticulously performed to assure their dependability and accuracy, making them a preferred choice for those seeking accurate results.

Renowned for swift results, these tests ensure that identification of substances within the body is both precise and rapid, giving the Prairie Village community confidence in the testing process.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing provides an invaluable measure of compliance and comfort for employers in Prairie Village, KS. These tests help uphold drug-free workplace policies, minimizing legal complications and contributing to a safer, more productive work environment.

Incorporating these tests into standard hiring protocols ensures peace of mind, as employers can be confident in the integrity of the results and the adherence to workplace drug policies.

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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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