Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Sunol, NE

What it is, How it works

The use of hair analysis has gained recognition as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a historical record of alcohol and drug use by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. By obtaining a sample near the scalp, one can achieve a detection timeframe stretching to about three months for alcohol and drugs. Collection of hair is straightforward, moderately challenging to alter, and convenient for transport.

A 1.5-inch section comprising roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp offers 100mg of hair, the optimal amount for analysis and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or more comprehensive panels exceeding 10, a specimen weight of 150mg is advisable. Measurement of the specimen using a jeweler's scale is suggested. Should scalp hair be absent, an equivalent quantity of body hair may suffice. In referencing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair, whereas body hair pertains to all other types (like facial or axillary).

Process Overview

The sequence for processing drug test outcomes in the laboratory includes Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the primary incorporation of a specimen into a lab's framework. This process verifies the appropriate sealing and shipping of the sample, generates a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and addresses any supplementary data not captured in a digital chain of custody system.

Screening involves a prompt evaluation for illegal substances. Although Screening serves as an economical method to dismiss drug presence in most cases, a positive result must undergo confirmation to be legally defendable. Any specimens showing a presumptive positive in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

For presumptively positive samples in the Screening phase, additional hair is segregated from the original specimen for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are isolated from hair in lower concentrations compared to other techniques (such as urine or oral fluid), establishing hair drug analysis as a complex methodology.

Validation of any positive screening results is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation. The comprehensive lab procedures from Accessioning to Confirmation fall under the scrutiny of both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair certification and conform to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can ascertain drug use over as much as 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter durations.
• Challenging to manipulate: The difficulty in tampering with a hair drug test results in higher accuracy.
• Conveys historical insight: It reveals a timeline of drug intake habits, not just recent occurrences.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent intake: A period of 5-7 days is necessary for drugs to show in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically involve higher costs than alternative methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair coloration and individual hair growth rates can influence the level of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Commonly termed as "hair follicle tests," the procedure tests the hair shaft rather than the follicle beneath the skin.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Sunol, NE
Compared to urine tests, hair follicle testing in Sunol provides unbeatable accuracy and reliability, spotlighting a longer detection window.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Sunol, NE
With up to a 90-day detection period, hair testing offers Sunol employers an extensive view of a subject's drug history, unparalleled by other methods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Sunol, NE
Hair follicle tests in Sunol significantly curb the risk of tampering, ensuring credibility and authoritative results that are hard to question.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Sunol, NE
Our broad network of testing centers ensures that Sunol residents have quick and hassle-free access to testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Sunol, NE
In Sunol, the procedure for ordering, undertaking, and obtaining results is straightforward and private, ensuring user confidentiality is never compromised.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Sunol, NE
Providing a tangible value proposition, our services in Sunol boast competitive rates and quick result delivery, suiting businesses of varying scales.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Sunol, NE
Hair follicle testing is renowned for its efficiency and reliability. Sunol-based firms can benefit from its precision in detecting substance use, ensuring quick and accurate results that outrank traditional methods.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Sunol, NE
Hair testing ensures Sunol employers are compliant with drug-free policies, minimizing legal risks and enhancing workplace safety.

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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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