Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a longitudinal account of substance use by embedding biomarkers within its strands as it grows. When trimmed close to the scalp, hair testing can reveal drug and alcohol use within an approximate three-month timeframe. The process of collecting hair is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and easy to transport.
Acquiring a 1.5-inch snippet of around 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields a 100mg specimen, which is optimal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional or more than 10-panel tests, gathering a 150mg specimen is advisable. It's suggested to use a jeweler’s scale for precise measurement. If scalp hair is not available, collecting the same amount of body hair is acceptable. Our reference to head hair specifically denotes scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other hair types (e.g., facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The drug testing laboratory workflow consists of four primary phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the preliminary integration of a specimen into a lab’s operations. This phase covers the verification of proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assignment of a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and handling additional data entry tasks not managed by an electronic chain of custody system.
The Screening step provides an immediate assessment for the presence of illicit drugs. Although Screening offers a cost-effective means to exclude drug use in most cases, a positive screen requires validation to be legitimate in legal settings. Samples that appear positive in Screening necessitate additional confirmation.
Should a sample yield a presumptive positive result during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction process. Here, drugs are removed from the hair at lower concentrations compared to other testing methods such as urine or oral fluids, making hair drug testing particularly challenging to execute.
Confirmatory testing for any positive results from Screening uses methods like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Before confirming, presumptive positive samples undergo washing as required. The thorough laboratory protocol, from Accessioning through Confirmation, complies with both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently termed "hair follicle tests," the actual test examines the hair strand rather than the follicle itself.
Birney, MT leans on hair follicle testing over urine tests, emphasizing extended detection time and reliability.
The superiority of hair tests lies in their longer detection window and resistance to adulteration, making them preferable for precision.
Hair tests in Birney, MT provide detection of drug usage up to 90 days prior, offering employers a substantive view of a subject's drug history.
This extended window helps paint an accurate picture of an individual's substance patterns and behaviors over time.
In Birney, MT, hair follicle exams mitigate tampering risks, offering reliable and credible outcomes.
Unlike urine assessments, hair samples are collected in a manner guarding against adulteration, guaranteeing fidelity of results.
Birney, MT residents benefit from seamless access to drug testing amenities, thanks to our widespread center coverage.
Local and national centers ensure easy access, facilitating rapid testing without extensive travel.
The testing in Birney, MT remains straightforward and private, ensuring users experience no complications when ordering.
Confidentiality is paramount, enabling results to be attained securely, addressing users' privacy concerns.
Birney, MT's competitive pricing on hair drug tests allows companies, regardless of size, to afford quick and accurate screenings.
Fast results paired with affordable pricing ensure excellent value, promoting peace in knowing tests are both economical and prompt.
In Birney, MT, hair follicle drug testing provides unparalleled precision and speed. This method boasts high accuracy levels, ensuring comprehensive detection of substance use.
Employing hair tests guarantees fast and reliable outcomes. Their precision minimizes false positives, offering assurance of result accuracy to employers.
Utilizing hair analysis in Birney, MT assures employers of compliance with anti-drug mandates, mitigating legal exposures.
Maintaining a safe, drug-free workplace becomes feasible with hair tests, providing peace of mind and safety compliance.