Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bushnell, NE

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is now regarded as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair can capture a historical record of alcohol and drug use by encapsulating biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When sourced near the scalp, it can indicate alcohol and drug use up to about a 90-day timeframe. The procedure for obtaining a hair sample is straightforward, tough to tamper with, and easily transported.

A segment measuring 1.5 inches and around 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp can deliver 100mg of hair, which is the preferred amount for tests and verification. For tests including EtG, additional panels, or ones that exceed 10 panels, collecting 150mg is advised. It's best to measure the sample via a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be provided, an equivalent mass of body hair can be used. When discussing head hair, it refers solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair varieties (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Procedure Breakdown

The core stages of processing laboratory drug test results consist of Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary intake of a sample into a lab’s system. It involves checking that the sample remains sealed and transported correctly, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any supplementary data entry not covered by a digital chain of custody system.

Screening provides an initial rapid assessment for drug misuse. While Screening is an economical approach to eliminating drug consumption in the bulk of samples, a confirmed positive is necessary for the results to stand in legal settings. Any samples that register as potentially positive in Screening mandate a follow-up confirmation.

When a sample is potentially positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the original material and readied for Extraction. In Extraction, substances are isolated from hair at significantly diminished concentrations compared to other methods (like urine or oral fluids), underscoring why hair drug testing is extremely challenging to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcomes is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all suspected positive samples are cleansed as warranted. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the full laboratory procedure is evaluated under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and complies with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can reveal drug intake for as long as 90 days, unlike urine testing, which has a narrower detection range.
• Cheating difficulties: It's quite challenging to falsify a hair drug test, ensuring more reliable outcomes.
• Yields historical information: It can establish a drug usage pattern over time, beyond mere recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to detect recent usage: It typically takes between 5-7 days for drugs to become evident in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual differences in hair growth rate may influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Commonly called "hair follicle tests," this testing method examines the hair strand instead of the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Bushnell, NE, the benefits of a hair follicle test far outweigh those of traditional urine tests. Unlike urine tests, which offer a limited detection window, hair tests provide superior detection accuracy and reliability, capturing a comprehensive substance history.

Employers looking for accurate drug testing solutions turn to hair follicle tests due to their extended detection periods and reduced likelihood of tampering. This allows companies to maintain their drug-free workplace policies effectively.

Extended Detection Window

In Bushnell, NE, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window of up to 90 days. This lengthier timeframe allows employers a broader scope of an applicant or employee's substance history, aiding in making informed hiring or retention decisions.

Providing a comprehensive overview, this extended window permits organizations to evaluate long-term substance use patterns, giving assurance in maintaining workplace integrity and safety.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle drug tests in Bushnell, NE boast a tamper-resistant method that substantially minimizes the risk of sample adulteration. This leads to producing results that are reliable and unquestionable, addressing concerns over test validity.

The collection process is observed and recorded, ensuring the samples remain uncompromised. In settings where accuracy is crucial, these tests provide trustworthy insights into substance use history.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With numerous testing facilities nationwide and local sites in Bushnell, NE, Accredited Drug Testing guarantees convenience for drug testing services. Access to quick, seamless, and hassle-free testing is ensured, providing a valuable resource for individuals and companies.

The multitude of locations available makes scheduling and obtaining hair follicle tests easy and efficient, emphasizing the importance of accessibility for proper substance testing.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Bushnell, NE, the process for hair follicle drug testing is both simple and confidential. The streamlined ordering, testing, and results delivery addresses concerns about privacy, ensuring ease of use for all involved parties.

The confidence in maintaining confidentiality throughout the process underscores the test's importance. Results are delivered discreetly, respecting individual privacy and promoting trust in the testing protocol.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Bushnell, NE emphasizes affordable pricing and speedy turnaround times for hair follicle testing services. Our competitive pricing structures advocate excellent value, offering an appealing choice to companies of various sizes.

Quick turnaround times ensure the processes are efficient, allowing organizations to proceed confidently with drug testing results. This combination lends peace of mind while also supporting financial prudence for businesses.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The hair follicle drug tests performed in Bushnell, NE are known for their fast, accurate, and reliable outcomes. Precision in detecting substance use is paramount, with results reflecting high levels of accuracy, thereby ensuring that the data obtained is both useful and trustworthy.

These tests are streamlined to deliver quick and precise results, making them highly efficient for both individuals and organizations. The speed of result delivery emphasizes their importance in various settings where timely information is crucial.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Bushnell, NE can find peace of mind and ensure compliance with workplace drug-free policies through hair follicle testing. This technique helps reduce legal risks and reinforces workplace safety by offering a dependable method for substance screening.

Utilizing these tests, organizations can effectively support their workplace policies, cultivating an environment of safety and assurance, crucial for both employee well-being and business integrity.

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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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