Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hordville, NE

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is widely recognized for its effectiveness in identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By encasing biomarkers within the strands of growing hair, it reflects a prolonged account of alcohol and drug usage. Sampling hair close to the scalp can yield a detection period of up to three months for various substances. The collection process is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A segment of hair measuring 1.5 inches from around 200 strands (roughly the dimensions of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp provides around 100mg, which is optimal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional checks, or tests beyond ten panels, a specimen weight of 150mg is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler's scale to weigh the sample is recommended. If scalp hair cannot be sourced, a similar amount from body hair is acceptable. When mentioning head hair, it specifically pertains to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other types (such as facial and axillary).

Process Overview

The drug test processing in a laboratory comprises four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning marks the introductory phase where a sample enters a laboratory’s workflow. This step ensures the proper sealing and dispatch of the sample, assigns a unique Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and completes any missing data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers an expedited preliminary analysis for substances of abuse. Despite being a cost-efficient method for ruling out drug use across most samples, any positive findings here must undergo confirmation for legal admissibility. Presumptively positive samples necessitate further verification.

If Screening indicates a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for further Extraction. During this stage, drugs are isolated from hair in concentrations much lower than those in other testing methods (like urine or oral fluid), highlighting the challenges of performing hair drug screenings.

Confirmation of any preliminary positive results is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, samples that are presumptive positives may undergo washing. The entire process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is conducted under both the CAP's Hair standards and accredited by ISO / IEC 17025.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can identify drug use for up to 90 days, notably longer than the shorter timespan of urine tests.
• High integrity: The robustness of hair drug tests makes it nearly impossible to manipulate results, ensuring higher accuracy.
• Chronicle of usage: It offers a timeline of drug consumption over an extended duration, beyond just recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect immediate use: Drugs only become traceable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are often costlier than alternative testing methods.
• Result variation: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth patterns may influence the level of drug metabolites in the hair sample.

Note: Although sometimes termed as "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis is conducted on the hair shaft rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Outshines Urine Testing in Hordville, NE: When comparing hair follicle testing to traditional urine tests, several advantages become apparent. Hair tests excel in providing superior detection accuracy and reliability, detecting drug use over an extended period. This advantage makes them a preferred choice for companies aiming to enforce strict drug policies, ensuring a safer, more drug-free workplace environment.

Extended Detection Window

The Extended Detection Window in Hair Follicle Testing in Hordville, NE: One of the standout benefits of hair follicle testing is its ability to detect drug use over a significantly longer period. With a window of up to 90 days, this method offers employers a comprehensive overview of an individual's substance use history, empowering them to make more informed decisions regarding hiring and workplace safety.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair Follicle Tests: A Tamper-Resistant Solution in Hordville, NE: Hair follicle testing is a robust testing method that significantly diminishes the risk of sample adulteration. This tamper-resistant approach provides consistent and unquestionable results, making it an optimal choice for organizations seeking reliable data on substance use without the concerns of manipulation, thus upholding integrity in workplace testing.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Testing Locations Nationwide and in Hordville, NE: The accessibility of our testing centers nationwide, including local facilities in Hordville, offers a seamless experience for testing services. This widespread availability ensures quick and hassle-free access, allowing individuals and businesses to efficiently manage their testing needs without unnecessary delays or complications.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple and Confidential Testing Process in Hordville, NE: Our process for ordering, participating in, and receiving results from hair follicle tests is both straightforward and confidential. Clients can expect an easy, private experience, addressing any concerns regarding privacy and the ease of the procedure. This efficient process ensures a smooth journey from start to finish.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing with Quick Turnaround in Hordville, NE: Our competitive pricing structures and fast turnaround times offer excellent value to businesses of all sizes, ensuring peace of mind. The affordability of our services makes extensive drug testing accessible, without compromising on the quality or speed of results, thereby supporting company-wide drug-free objectives effectively.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug testing in Hordville, NE offers remarkable precision and timeliness, making it a top choice for businesses seeking accurate and swift substance detection results. This method stands out as highly reliable, identifying substances with exceptional accuracy, ensuring that any drug use is effectively detected. The fast processing time complements its high precision, offering benefits that align with the needs of modern workplaces.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Hordville, NE: Utilizing hair follicle testing ensures compliance with workplace drug-free policies, notably reducing legal risks and contributing to enhanced workplace safety. This method grants employers peace of mind by supporting their zero-tolerance policies and fostering a productive, drug-free environment for all employees.

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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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