Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Berea, NE

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has become recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. It offers an extended record of alcohol and drug usage by capturing biomarkers within the hair strand's fibers as it grows. When taken near the scalp, hair can offer a detection window of up to approximately three months for both alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch piece consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the preferred amount for screening and verification. For ensuring accuracy in EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is advisable to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair not be available, a comparable quantity of body hair might be utilized. Reference to head hair pertains solely to scalp hair. Body hair denotes all other types of hair (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary stages in lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning consists of the preliminary processing of a sample within a lab's system. This stage ensures the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional manual entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening facilitates a preliminary swift evaluation for substances of abuse. Although Screening efficiently eliminates drug use in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be legally acceptable. Samples that show presumptive positivity during Screening necessitate further confirmation.

Upon provisional positivity in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at concentrations significantly lower than in alternative methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), contributing to the complexity of hair drug screening.

Verification of any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All samples with presumptive positive outcomes undergo washing before verification, as needed. The comprehensive process from Accessioning to Confirmation adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use spanning up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a reduced detection window.
• Difficult to manipulate: Hair drug testing is notably hard to falsify, enhancing the accuracy of results.
• Offers historical insight: It provides an overview of drug usage patterns over time, unlike testing for recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Generally, drugs become traceable in hair only after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug testing tends to incur higher costs compared to other methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth patterns can influence drug metabolites' concentration in hair.

Note: Commonly mislabelled as "hair follicle tests", the procedure actually examines the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Berea, NE Hair follicle tests offer extensive advantages compared to traditional urine tests. They allow for a longer detection period, accurately reading past drug use compared to the shorter scope of urine tests, thus providing superior reliability in results.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Berea, NE One compelling aspect of hair follicle testing is its ability to detect drug use over an extended period, typically up to 90 days. This provides employers a thorough perspective on an individual's substance use history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Berea, NE Hair follicle testing significantly decreases the chances of sample adulteration. This testing method provides trustworthy and clear-cut results, ensuring a high degree of integrity in drug testing processes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Berea, NE Accredited Drug Testing nationwide centers offer unparalleled convenience. With easy access, testing services become quick, straightforward, and stress-free, ensuring that individuals in Berea and across the nation can readily fulfill testing needs.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Berea, NE The process of ordering, executing, and receiving hair follicle test results is both simple and confidential. This secures individuals' privacy and provides an effortless experience, guaranteeing ease and discretion.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Berea, NE With competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times, these services offer remarkable value. Businesses of all scales benefit from a cost-effective solution while gaining peace of mind with prompt results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Berea, NE Hair follicle drug tests stand out for their precision and swiftness in detecting substance use. Known for their high accuracy rate, these tests provide quick results, ensuring users gain reliable and timely insights into potential drug use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Berea, NE Embracing hair follicle testing helps employers adhere to drug-free workplace policies. This method reduces legal vulnerabilities and enhances safety standards, bringing a sense of peace and security to the workplace environment.

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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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