Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Westerville, NE

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a long-term record of alcohol and drug use by securing biomarkers within the growing hair's fibers. If collected near the scalp, hair can offer up to a roughly 3-month detection duration for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, moderately resistant to tampering, and convenient to transport.

A segment of hair measuring 1.5 inches, comprised of roughly 200 strands (about the width of a #2 pencil) taken nearest to the scalp, will provide 100mg of hair, the perfect amount for analysis and verification. For tests including EtG, additional analytics, or those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the specimen is advised. We suggest weighing the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't available, a comparable quantity of body hair can be utilized. "Head hair" strictly means scalp hair, whereas "body hair" encompasses all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

There are four key stages involved in processing a drug test result in the lab: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

The Accessioning phase consists of the initial handling of a sample into the laboratory system. This involves verifying the sample's proper sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishing any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

The Screening phase is a preliminary assessment for abusive drugs. Although Screening is economical for excluding drug use in the majority of samples, a positive result must be confirmed to be credible in legal proceedings. Any samples testing presumptively positive in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

Should a sample exhibit presumptive positivity in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepped for Extraction. During this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at much lower levels than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening particularly challenging to execute.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing as needed prior to confirmation. The laboratory process, spanning from Accessioning to Confirmation, is monitored under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair accreditation and compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine testing offers a briefer detection period.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is exceedingly difficult, thus enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It can outline a drug use pattern over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent use: Detection in hair takes about 5-7 days after drug use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to cost more than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the level of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Despite often being termed as "hair follicle tests", the test evaluates the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Westerville, NE: When comparing hair follicle testing with traditional urine tests, the former offers enhanced detection accuracy and reliability. It identifies drug use over an extended period, ensuring superior assessment quality over more short-term tests like urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Westerville, NE: Hair follicile testing offers an advantage with its ability to detect drug use over a longer duration of up to 90 days. Employers benefit from a comprehensive view of an applicant or employee's drug history, aiding informed decision-making processes.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Westerville, NE: Hair follicle tests effectively minimize the likelihood of sample tampering. This robust testing method captures consistent and trustworthy results, greatly reducing the risk of falsification and manipulation.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Westerville, NE: Our widespread network of testing centers provides unparalleled convenience, facilitating easy and hassle-free access to testing services whenever needed.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Westerville, NE: The process for engaging in hair follicle tests is both straightforward and private. It ensures that clients can navigate steps—from ordering to receiving results—while maintaining their confidentiality and peace of mind.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Westerville, NE: Our competitive pricing coupled with rapid result delivery offers excellent value for companies. This affordable service guarantees swift turnaround, catering to the needs of businesses of various sizes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Westerville, NE: Hair follicle drug tests stand out due to their precision and speed in identifying substance use. The high accuracy level ensures that detecting drugs isn't just swift but also remarkably reliable, providing confidence in the results obtained.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Westerville, NE: Using hair follicle tests, companies can actively comply with drug-free workplace policies. This not only minimizes legal liabilities but also enhances safety and security within the work environment.

Drug Testing Near Westerville, NE

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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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