Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Topsfield, MA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as an effective instrument for detecting substance and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged timeline of substance influence by embedding biomarkers within the hair strand's fibers as it grows. Hair, when gathered near the scalp, can offer close to a 90-day insight into substance and alcohol history. It's easy to obtain, relatively tamper-proof, and straightforward for transportation.

A collection of 1.5-inch segment from about 200 hair strands (roughly a #2 pencil's thickness) nearest the scalp results in 100mg, the perfect amount for analysis and validation. For EtG, additional panels, or tests extending beyond 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. It's best to assess the sample's weight using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair is not accessible, a similar volume of body hair can be an alternative. When we mention head hair, it indicates scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes all other varieties (e.g., facial, axillary, etc.).

Procedure Summary

The laboratory workflow for a substance test outcome includes four primary phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Verification.

Accessioning entails the preliminary handling of a specimen within a lab's platform. This step ensures the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fills in any missing information not supplied by an electronic custody system.

Screening provides an initial rapid assessment for abused substances. Although Screening offers a cost-efficient means of excluding substance use in most cases, a positive outcome necessitates a Confirmation to be valid in legal situations. All presumptively positive screenings require follow-up confirmation.

Once a sample shows a presumptive positive in Screening, additional hair is taken from the starting sample for Extraction. During this phase, substances are isolated from hair at an even lower concentration than other methods (like urine or oral fluids), making hair substance analysis the most challenging technique to undertake.

Positive Screening results must be authenticated using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positives undergo cleansing before Confirmation if necessary. The complete lab procedure, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Benefits of hair substance analysis:

• Extended detection period: Hair analyses can identify substance use for up to 90 days, whereas urine analyses have a more limited detection period.
• Hard to deceive: Evading a hair analysis is notably challenging, enhancing the reliability of the results.
• Gives usage trajectory: It offers a usage history pattern instead of just recent consumption evidence.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to pinpoint recent usage: Detecting substances in hair requires approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair analyses generally cost more than alternative testing methodologies.
• Result variability: Elements like hair coloration and unique growth differences can influence metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Commonly known as "hair follicle analyses", the assessment focuses on the hair strand, not the root beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing offers superior accuracy and reliability compared to urine tests in Topsfield, MA. It excels in detecting drug use, providing more consistent results.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle tests in Topsfield, MA, offer an extensive detection period, revealing drug use for up to 90 days. This provides employers a thorough view of an individual's substance history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Topsfield, MA, hair follicle tests greatly minimize tampering risk, ensuring reliable, unquestionable results with reduced sample adulteration potential.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With nationwide testing centers, including Topsfield, MA, obtaining hair follicle tests is convenient and hassle-free, ensuring quick and easy access to services.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of ordering, taking, and receiving hair follicle test results in Topsfield, MA, is simple and confidential, ensuring privacy and ease for all involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and fast turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Topsfield, MA, provides excellent value, accommodating businesses of all sizes with peace of mind.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Topsfield, MA, hair follicle drug tests provide rapid and dependable results. They boast high accuracy, detecting substance usage with precision, enabling informed decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Topsfield, MA, benefit from hair follicle testing through improved compliance with drug-free policies, enhancing workplace safety and reducing legal risks.

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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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