Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hanson, MA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair records a lengthy timeline of alcohol and drug use by capturing biomarkers within the hair shaft as it grows. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer up to around a three-month observation period for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and convenient to deliver.

A 1.5-inch lock from approximately 200 hair strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or screenings beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler's scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair is inaccessible, a similar amount of body hair can be gathered. When discussing head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair covers all other hair types including facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The drug testing laboratory process encompasses four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning incorporates the initial management of a sample into the lab's system. This step ensures the sample is properly sealed and transported, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any additional data input not furnished by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening conducts a preliminary investigation for substance abuse. Screening is a cost-effective approach to rule out drug use for the majority of samples; however, a positive screening must be verified to be valid in legal settings. Samples that test presumptively positive in Screening require additional Confirmation.

For samples testing presumptively positive during Screening, further hair is harvested from the primary sample and prepped for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at much lower concentrations compared to other testing methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most challenging method to perform.

Confirmation of any positive screen result is performed utilizing GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples are cleansed prior to confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory workflow from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extensive detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can capture instances of drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a more limited detection window.
• Challenging to manipulate: Tampering with a hair drug test results is quite difficult, resulting in highly accurate outcomes.
• Offers retrospective data: It reflects a pattern of drug consumption over a duration, rather than just recent use.

Limitations:

• Unable to identify recent use: Drugs require roughly 5-7 days to become noticeable in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests are pricier than other testing methodologies.
• Result fluctuations: Variables including hair color and individual growth differences may influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: While often called "hair follicle tests", the assessment actually examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Hanson, MA, hair follicle testing significantly surpasses urine testing in efficiency. Superior Detection Accuracy: Hair tests offer a broader detection window, making them more reliable for identifying substance use over time. Reliability: With hair follicle testing, the likelihood of achieving accurate and consistent results is much higher when compared to urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

In Hanson, MA, hair follicle testing provides an extensive detection window, allowing up to 90 days of drug use history to be examined. Comprehensive Insight: Such a broad timeframe gives employers an insightful understanding of an individual’s substance use habits.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Hanson, MA is highly tamper-resistant, making it a trustworthy method. Reduced Adulteration Risks: Unlike urine samples which can be tampered with easily, hair samples provide reliable results that are unquestionable and diminish the possibility of cheating.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers unparalleled convenience with its nationwide and local testing centers in Hanson, MA. Ease of Access: Our network ensures seamless and stress-free access to testing services, making the process quick and straightforward.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Hanson, MA is both simple and confidential. Confidentiality: From ordering to obtaining results, every step ensures privacy and ease, addressing any concerns related to personal data safety.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Hanson, MA, competitive pricing and swift turnaround are cornerstones of our hair follicle testing services. Excellent Value: Our affordable pricing structures, combined with fast result delivery, offer significant value and assurance for businesses of any scale.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast and Accurate: Hair follicle drug tests in Hanson, MA quickly offer precise substance use results. The high accuracy means you can be confident in the

test outcomes. Rapid Results: This testing method not only delivers rapid analysis but also ensures that critical decisions can be made promptly based on dependable results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Hanson, MA are granted compliance and peace of mind through hair follicle testing. Policy Compliance: Utilizing this drug testing method ensures adherence to workplace policies, reducing legal risks and fortifying safety standards within the workplace.

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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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