Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Drum Point, MD

What it is, How it works

The method of hair testing is regarded as an effective means for identifying the use of drugs and alcohol. Hair strands capture biomarkers within their fibers, offering a long-term overview of drug and alcohol consumption. When collected near the scalp, the detection period for substances can extend up to roughly three months. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and convenient for transport.

To conduct a screening and confirmation, ideally, a 1.5-inch segment containing around 200 hair strands (similar in thickness to a #2 pencil) is needed, yielding 100mg of hair. For tests involving EtG, additional panels, or those exceeding 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is preferable. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to measure the hair specimen. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be gathered. References to head hair strictly mean scalp hair. In contrast, body hair encompasses all other hair types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key stages in the laboratory assessment of a drug test include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the initial handling of a sample within the lab’s system, ensuring the sample’s seal and transport integrity, allocating a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and executing any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary examination for substance use. Although it provides a financially efficient method to eliminate most drug use cases, a positive result during Screening necessitates Confirmation to be legally admissible. Any samples that are likely positive in Screening must undergo further Confirmation.

Should a sample indicate a probable positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. This phase involves isolating drugs from hair, which occur at lower concentrations than in other methods like urine or oral fluid tests; hence, hair drug screening is the most challenging to conduct.

The Confirmation process for any positive Screening results is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All likely positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the entire lab process adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter timeframe.
• Hard to falsify: Hair drug tests are challenging to manipulate, thereby enhancing result accuracy.
• Shows usage history: It reveals a consumption pattern over time, not just recent intake.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: Detection of drugs in hair requires approximately 5-7 days after use.
• Higher cost: Hair drug tests generally incur greater expense than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and personal growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: While commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Drum Point, MD, hair follicle testing surpasses the traditional urine tests with its superior capabilities. Enhanced Detection is accentuated as hair tests reveal substance history over a longer period, offering reliable insights for employers.

Extended Detection Window

For comprehensive substance history insight, hair follicle testing in Drum Point, MD shines with a 90-day Detection Window. This expansive timeframe allows employers to review an individual’s drug history, providing a fuller picture of long-term substance use.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Drum Point, MD uphold high standards against tampering, boosting the credibility of the results. Secure and Reliable, this testing method effectively minimizes risks of sample adulteration, ensuring integrity in testing.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With Convenient Locations throughout the nation and local sites in Drum Point, MD, accessing hair follicle testing is straightforward and hassle-free. Accredited Drug Testing’s broad network assures clients of accessible and efficient services.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Drum Point, MD is straightforward and discreet. Simple and Confidential procedures ensure privacy and ease, providing users with a stress-free experience from ordering tests to receiving results.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing offers Affordable Pricing and expedient turnaround for services in Drum Point, MD. Our competitive price structure coupled with swift result processing delivers excellent value to businesses of any scale.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The hair follicle drug test provides fast and reliable outcomes, ensuring high precision in determining substance use in Drum Point, MD. Speed and Accuracy are prioritized through this method, granting detailed and trustworthy results. It stands out from conventional tests, providing swift evaluations.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring Compliance and Peace of Mind for employers, hair follicle tests help meet workplace drug policies in Drum Point, MD. They offer a safeguard against legal concerns and enhance overall workplace security by supporting a drug-free environment.

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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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