Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Dracut, MA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands embed biomarkers within their fibers, capturing a comprehensive history of drug and alcohol use. When clipped near the scalp, hair can reveal usage of drugs and alcohol spanning roughly three months. Hair collection is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and conveniently transportable.

Acquiring a 1.5-inch segment consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (akin to the thickness of a #2 pencil) from close to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is ideal for both initial and confirmatory tests. For EtG, additional tests, or extended panels exceeding 10, a sample weighing 150mg is advised. It's important to weigh the hair sample on a jeweler's scale. In instances where scalp hair isn’t available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be used. References to head hair specifically pertain to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory procedures for processing a drug test result encompass four major steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the phase where a sample is first integrated into a laboratory's system. This phase involves confirming the sample's proper sealing and shipping, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any additional data entry requirements not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening serves as an initial rapid evaluation for potential drug presence. Though Screening is a cost-efficient approach to dismiss drug presence in most samples, any screen yielding a positive result requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples suspected of being positive during Screening require further Verification.

Upon suggesting positivity at the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepped for Extraction. Here, drug compounds are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening particularly challenging.

Confirmation for any positive screening outcome is achieved through techniques such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples suggested as positive undergo washing before confirmation if necessary. The full lab process from Accessioning through to Confirmation is conducted under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing identifies drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine testing, which has a briefer detection timeframe.
• Hard to deceive: The reliability of a hair drug test is heightened due to the difficulty of manipulation.
• Tracks historical use: The test can outline a timeline of drug usage instead of highlighting only recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot reflect recent usage: Detecting drugs in hair takes about 5-7 days following use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically pricier compared to alternative drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Drug metabolite concentrations in hair may fluctuate due to factors such as hair color and individual growth rates.

Note: Despite often being termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Dracut, MA

• Compared to traditional urine tests, hair follicle tests show superior detection accuracy and reliability.
• With their extended detection period, hair tests offer a more comprehensive view of an individual's drug history, outpacing urine tests in effectiveness.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Dracut, MA

• Hair follicle testing provides a broader detection window, identifying drug use over a period of up to 90 days.
• This capability affords employers a thorough understanding of an employee's substance history, enhancing decision-making processes.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Dracut, MA

• Hair follicle tests significantly diminish the chances of sample tampering, ensuring the integrity of results.
• The observed collection process makes it nearly impossible to manipulate test outcomes, providing peace of mind with reliable data.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Dracut, MA

• With testing centers spread across the nation, access to reliable hair follicle testing is quick and hassle-free.
• Dracut residents benefit from the local availability of testing services, streamlining the testing process.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Dracut, MA

• The process for ordering, conducting, and receiving hair follicle test results is straightforward and maintains privacy.
• Clients appreciate the simplicity and discretion of the testing service, addressing any confidentiality concerns.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Dracut, MA

• Competitive pricing structures make hair follicle testing accessible, coupled with rapid result turnaround enhancing value.
• Organizations of all sizes benefit from affordable testing, ensuring timely results without compromising budget.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Dracut, MA

• Hair follicle drug tests offer unmatched precision and speed in substance detection, making them ideal for prompt and accurate assessments.
• These tests deliver reliable results, efficiently identifying substance use and helping to maintain a safe and drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Dracut, MA

• Utilizing hair follicle tests ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, reducing legal and safety risks.
• These tests support the maintenance of a safe work environment, promoting employee wellbeing and organizational trust.

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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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