Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lebanon, NE

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly regarded as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a prolonged record of alcohol and other drugs by securing biomarkers within the strands of developing hair. When samples are taken adjacent to the scalp, hair offers a detection window of up to roughly 3 months for alcohol and other drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample encompassing around 200 hair strands (about the girth of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal quantity for both screening and confirmation procedures. For EtG, additional tests, and/or screenings over 10 panels, a specimen amount of 150mg is advisable. We propose using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the specimen. If scalp hair is not present, an equivalent volume of body hair can be collected. Within this context, head hair exclusively denotes scalp hair. In contrast, body hair comprises all alternative hair varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result entails four key phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the introductory handling of a specimen within a laboratory’s system. This stage involves ensuring the sample was properly sealed and transported, allotting a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any residual data input absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid assessment for drug abuse. While Screening is an economical strategy to dismiss drug usage in most samples, any positive result necessitates confirmation for courtroom acceptance. Samples that show presumptive positives during Screening require an additional confirmation.

If Screening indicates a presumptive positive, additional hair is collected from the original sample and readied for Extraction. At this juncture, drugs are removed from hair at substantially lower concentrations relative to other techniques (such as urine or oral fluid), which renders hair drug analysis one of the most intricate methodologies to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are washed as deemed necessary prior to confirmation. The comprehensive lab process, spanning from Accessioning to Confirmation, adheres to the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair specification and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests feature a more limited detection range.
• Challenging to deceive: Attempting to cheat a hair drug test is notably difficult, thus enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insights: It enables outlining drug use trends across a timeline, beyond just recent usage.

Limitations:

• No recent use detection: It takes roughly 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically costlier compared to other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color along with personal disparities in hair growth may influence the drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite common reference as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Lebanon, NE, hair follicle testing proves superior to traditional urine tests. Its enhanced detection accuracy and reliability provide a clear advantage, offering employers a more comprehensive overview of potential substance issues.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle drug testing in Lebanon, NE, serves as a powerful tool with its extended detection window, revealing drug use up to 90 days. This span allows employers to gain a thorough understanding of an individual's substance history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Lebanon, NE, offer a tamper-resistant method, significantly lowering the risk of sample adulteration. This provides organizations with unquestionable and reliable results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient nationwide testing centers, including those in Lebanon, NE, access to our testing services is quick and hassle-free, simplifying the process for individuals and employers alike.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process in Lebanon, NE, is simple and confidential, from ordering to receiving results. Privacy concerns are addressed, ensuring ease of use throughout the testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Hair follicle testing in Lebanon, NE, is not only competitively priced but also offers fast turnaround times, providing excellent value for businesses of all sizes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug testing offers speed and precision unmatched by other methods in Lebanon, NE. Its high accuracy ensures reliable detection of substance use, making it a trusted choice for employers.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Lebanon, NE, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with workplace drug-free policies. This method minimizes legal concerns and bolsters workplace safety, granting employers peace of mind.

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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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