Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Boon, MI

What it is, How it works

The utilization of hair analysis has become recognized as an effective technique for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a prolonged history of alcohol and drug intake by capturing biomarkers within the strands of the growing hair. When cut close to the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period of up to about three months for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, relatively tough to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (about the diameter of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional analyses, and/or evaluations exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen. If scalp hair is absent, a comparable quantity of body hair can be used. When referencing head hair, we mean scalp hair strictly. Body hair pertains to all other hair classifications (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory workflow for processing a drug test result encompasses four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the first phase of processing a sample into a laboratory's database. This encompasses checking that the sample was sealed and transported correctly, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entries not included by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening initiates a preliminary rapid evaluation for substance abuse. While Screening offers a cost-effective method to clear the majority of samples of drug consumption, a positive screen necessitates confirmation to hold up in legal proceedings. Any samples presumed positive in Screening require additional verification.

If a sample is anticipated to be positive during the Screening stage, more hair is extracted from the original specimen and readied for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at a notably lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting the challenge of conducting hair drug screening.

Confirmation of any positive finding in the Screening phase is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples presumed positive are cleaned before confirmation as required. The complete laboratory process, spanning from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation along with the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug analyses can reveal drug usage for up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests that have a more limited detection window.
• Hard to manipulate: It is exceedingly challenging to deceive a hair drug test, ensuring more precise results.
• Supplies historical information: It can demonstrate a pattern of drug usage over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Lacks the ability to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair only after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug analyses tend to be costlier compared to other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Factors such as hair color and individual hair growth variation can influence the levels of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Despite often being called "hair follicle tests," the test focuses on analyzing the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Boon, MI
Hair testing offers significant advantages over traditional urine tests by providing extended detection periods and greater accuracy. The superior detection capabilities of hair tests capture substance use over long durations. Employers benefit from enhanced reliability, ensuring a drug-free workplace with a testing method that diminishes chances of manipulation.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Boon, MI
Hair follicle testing shines with its ability to identify drug use over an extended period of up to 90 days. This elongated detection window offers employers a comprehensive view of an individual's substance use history, fostering informed hiring and retention decisions. It provides significant insight into an applicant's or employee's past behavior.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Boon, MI
Hair follicle tests greatly minimize the risk of sample adulteration, yielding reliable and undeniable results. As samples are collected directly from the source in a controlled manner, this method ensures the integrity of the results. The assurance of tamper-proof testing offers peace of mind for both employers and subjects alike.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Boon, MI
With Accredited Drug Testing's wide-reaching network of testing centers, accessing services has never been simpler. Nationwide coverage ensures quick and hassle-free testing processes, offering clients ease of access to local and distant locations with efficient schedules.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Boon, MI
Accredited Drug Testing offers a streamlined and confidential procedure, from ordering to results reception. Addressing privacy concerns, our process is meticulously designed to ensure ease of use, confidentiality, and minimal disruption. Clients can trust in the discretion and purity of the testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Boon, MI
Our services are competitively priced, ensuring cost-effective and swift operational outcomes. Quick turnaround times provide companies of various sizes a reliable financial and strategic partner in maintaining workforce integrity, without undermining their fiscal policies.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Boon, MI
Hair follicle drug tests offer unrivaled precision and speed. These assessments boast exceptional accuracy in identifying drug use, giving you swift and dependable results. Whether for personal or professional purposes, the reliability of hair testing ensures informed decision-making based on clear, trustworthy outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Boon, MI
Utilizing hair follicle testing for substance detection supports workplace drug-free initiatives, cutting legal risks and promoting a safer working environment. This method aligns with compliance standards, providing employers with reassurance while maintaining robust safety and health protocols within the company.

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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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