Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Blodgett Landing, NH

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now viewed as an effective means for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair serves as a timeline of drug and alcohol use by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair strand as it grows. When cut near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period of about three months for both alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch section of roughly 200 hair strands (around the diameter of a #2 pencil) next to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation tests. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the specimen is advised. It's beneficial to measure the specimen with a jeweler's scale. When scalp hair is inaccessible, a corresponding amount of body hair is permissible. "Head hair" pertains solely to scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses all other varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key stages in laboratory processing for drug test results include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial integration of a sample into a lab's system. This phase ensures that the sample was correctly sealed and transported, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any remaining data entry not handled by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening acts as an initial rapid assay for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is an economical approach to rule out drug use in most samples, confirmation of a positive screen is necessary for legal admissibility. Samples that appear positive in Screening must undergo a secondary confirmation.

Should a sample come back presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and readied for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at lower concentrations than those in other samples (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most intricate methodology to execute.

Any positive results from Screening are confirmed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples preliminary deemed positive are washed before confirmation as needed. The full laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is governed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and aligns with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can identify drug use for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter detection spans.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair test is nearly impossible, which enhances result accuracy.
• Reveals usage trends: It can document a timeline of drug use, illustrating patterns rather than just recent use.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent usage: Drugs require approximately 5-7 days for incorporation into hair.
• Expense: Hair drug testing tends to be pricier than other methods.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and individual hair growth can impact drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Though frequently termed "hair follicle tests," this test examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing offers superior detection accuracy and reliability over traditional urine tests in Blodgett Landing, NH. Benefits include:

• Longer detection window spanning months.
• Reliable sample collection process.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Blodgett Landing, NH can benefit from hair follicle testing's extended detection window. This method provides a comprehensive view of substance use over a period of up to 90 days. Advantages include:

• In-depth assessment of an individual's drug history.
• Informs informed hiring decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

With hair follicle tests in Blodgett Landing, NH, the risk of sample adulteration is significantly reduced. These tests provide unquestionable reliability and ensure the integrity of the results, making them nearly impossible to circumvent.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With Accredited Drug Testing's widespread network, including Blodgett Landing, NH, access to testing services is quick and seamless. Accessible locations ensure convenient and hassle-free testing experiences.

• Local and national coverage.
• Ease of scheduling tests.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Blodgett Landing, NH, the hair follicle testing process is both simple and confidential. Ordering, taking, and receiving results are streamlined for ease of use while maintaining privacy concerns and ensuring peace of mind.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our hair follicle testing in Blodgett Landing, NH is offered at affordable prices, focusing on providing excellent value. Combined with fast turnaround times, it delivers reliable results without breaking the bank for companies of every scale.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests in Blodgett Landing, NH, offer unmatched accuracy in substance detection. Fast, accurate, and reliable, they stand out as an essential tool for effective testing.

• Quick results within days.
• Accurate identification of substance use.
• Reliable insights into drug history.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Adopting hair follicle testing in Blodgett Landing, NH can provide employers with peace of mind. It ensures compliance with drug-free policies, minimizes legal risks, and enhances workplace safety.

• Gives assurance of a safe work environment.
• Averts potential legal complications.

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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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