Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Pattison, MS

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a comprehensive record of alcohol and various drugs by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When cut close to the scalp, hair can deliver an approximate 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, fairly challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (about the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of the sample is suggested. We advise weighing the sample with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not accessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be gathered. When mentioning head hair, we exclusively mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four principal stages in laboratory handling of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the preliminary processing of a sample into a laboratory’s system. This involves checking that the sample was sealed and dispatched correctly, allotting a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any supplementary data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody protocol.

Screening constitutes an initial rapid assessment for substance misuse. While Screening is an economical means to eliminate drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be substantiated for legal admissibility. Samples that are initially positive in Screening necessitate additional confirmation.

Should a sample appear positive in the Screening phase, further hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than with other methods (ex. urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening notably challenging.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All preliminarily positive samples are cleansed before confirmation, as necessary. The entire laboratory cycle from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and is accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, compared to urine tests with shorter detection times.
• Challenging to deceive: Hair drug tests are difficult to cheat, ensuring greater accuracy in results.
• Offers historical insight: It provides a timeline of drug usage over time, not just a recent snapshot.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs are usually detectable in hair after roughly 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than other testing techniques.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Often termed "hair follicle tests", these tests actually analyze the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Pattison, MS, the advantages of hair follicle testing over urine tests are evident. Hair testing offers superior detection accuracy given its ability to uncover drug use over a longer duration. The reliability of these tests makes them preferable for those requiring stringent testing standards compared to more traditional methods like urine tests, ensuring a more comprehensive analysis of substance use.

Extended Detection Window

In Pattison, MS, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window of up to 90 days, surpassing other methodologies like urine tests. This long span provides employers a thorough understanding of an individual's drug use history, aiding in making informed decisions about prospective or current employees, while promoting a safe work environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Pattison, MS, offer a tamper-resistant drug testing method, markedly reducing chances of sample manipulation. This integrity ensures that results are both trustworthy and indisputable, offering peace of mind to those reliant on uncompromised data, particularly in high-stakes environments such as courtrooms and workplaces.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Pattison, MS, the convenience of our nationwide testing locations is unparalleled. With easy access to our comprehensive hair testing services, individuals and businesses alike can promptly and efficiently meet their testing requirements. Our substantial network of centers nationwide ensures a seamless experience without geographical constraints.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Pattison, MS, our hair follicle drug testing ensures a simple, confidential process, emphasizing privacy and ease of use. From ordering to testing and receiving results, the process is streamlined to respect individual confidentiality while providing reliable information without complication.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Pattison, MS, we offer affordable pricing with fast turnaround times, making hair follicle testing accessible for companies of varying sizes. Our competitive pricing ensures that high-quality testing does not equate to high costs, thereby offering value and peace of mind for budget-conscious enterprises.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The hair follicle drug test provides fast, accurate, and reliable results in Pattison, MS. Its precision in detecting substance use is unmatched, making it an essential tool in situations where correct outcomes are crucial. Hair tests have gained a reputation for their rapid turnaround and dependability, offering a detailed look into the substance habits of individuals being tested.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Pattison, MS, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, thereby reducing legal risks and enhancing overall safety. This testing method contributes to an environment of trust and security, providing a sound basis for enforcing zero-tolerance drug policies effectively and confidently.

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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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