Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Roca, NE

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as an effective resource for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair can offer a prolonged record of alcohol and drug usage by embedding biomarkers within the structure of the growing hair strand. When taken near the scalp, hair can provide up to around a 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, relatively hard to tamper with, and simple to send.

A 1.5-inch segment consisting of about 200 strands (approximately the size of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or examinations exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is suggested. It's advisable to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent volume of body hair may be utilized. When mentioning head hair, it specifically means scalp hair. Body hair denotes all other hair varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four key stages in the laboratory processing of a drug test outcome are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the initial handling of a sample in a laboratory’s system. This includes confirming the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not provided by an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening involves an initial quick inspection for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-effective method to eliminate drug usage on most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be acceptable in court. Any samples that are preliminarily positive in Screening need additional confirmation.

If a sample tests preliminarily positive in the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All tentatively positive samples are cleansed before confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extensive detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection span.
• Challenging to deceive: It's extremely tough to falsify a hair drug test, ensuring more accurate results.
• Offers historical insight: It can reveal a pattern of drug usage over a duration, beyond recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent usage: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to manifest in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are generally pricier than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and personal variations in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although often termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis involves the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Roca, NE, the advantages of hair follicle testing over urine testing are evident, particularly concerning detection accuracy and reliability. Hair tests offer a longer detection window and are less susceptible to tampering, ensuring more trustworthy results than traditional urine tests.

Hair follicle testing is renowned for its effectiveness in determining substance use over months rather than days, providing employers with clearer insights into an individual’s substance history.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Roca, NE, benefit from the extended detection window of hair follicle testing, which can reveal drug use for up to 90 days. This comprehensive view of an applicant's or employee's substance use history aids in making informed hiring and management decisions.

In scenarios requiring deep-dive analyses, the long detection period offered by hair testing far surpasses conventional methods, giving employers a strategic advantage in monitoring substance use over time.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Roca, NE, significantly minimizes the chances of tampered samples, presenting a dependable and authentic assessment outcome. These tests are challenging to adulterate, offering assurance to employers seeking genuine analysis.

The robustness of this testing method ensures that results remain unquestionable, bolstering employer trust in the reliability of substance use assessments.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our widespread network of testing centers, including those in Roca, NE, facilitates easy access to our services. Whether local or nationwide, our centers provide a straightforward, convenient solution for testing needs.

This extensive reach ensures that individuals and companies can receive testing services rapidly, bringing testing accessibility to countless regions effortlessly.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our drug testing process in Roca, NE, is straightforward and confidential, ensuring privacy and ease throughout. From ordering tests to receiving results, our platform guarantees that clients’ data remains secure and their experience seamless.

Our commitment to simplicity ensures that every step is user-friendly, making it easier for businesses and individuals to navigate the process without concern.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In the competitive landscape of Roca, NE, our drug testing services stand out due to their affordability and rapid turnaround times. Companies of all sizes benefit from our cost-effective pricing without compromising on quality.

Our efficient processes deliver timely results, providing enhanced value and enabling companies to maintain peace of mind concerning substance testing protocols.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision of hair follicle drug tests is unrivaled, offering fast and reliable results in Roca, NE. The method’s ability to detect a wide range of substances with great accuracy makes it a favored choice for identifying drug use efficiently and swiftly.

The speed at which hair tests process and yield results aligns with the need for timely decision-making. In contexts where accuracy and promptness are crucial, hair testing stands out as an indispensable tool.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Opting for hair follicle testing in Roca, NE, helps employers comply with drug-free workplace mandates, mitigating legal concerns and augmenting workplace safety. These tests are an effective measure for reinforcing commitment to a secure and substance-free environment.

Employers gain peace of mind through consistent, compliant results while ensuring their policies are adequately supported by a robust testing framework.

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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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