Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Collings Lakes, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is widely regarded as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands capture biomarkers within their fibers, offering an extended history of substance use. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection window for alcohol and drugs lasting roughly up to 3 months. The collection process is straightforward, the risk of tampering is low, and shipping is uncomplicated.

A hair sample measuring 1.5 inches, comprising around 200 strands (approximately the size of a #2 pencil), nearest to the scalp provides 100mg, which is ideal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, extended panels, or tests with over 10 panels, it is advised to obtain 150mg of the sample. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is recommended. If scalp hair isn't available, a similar amount of body hair can be collected. Head hair specifically refers to scalp hair, while body hair denotes other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, a sample is initially integrated into a lab's system. This step includes ensuring the sample was sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number) randomly, and completing extra data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as a preliminary assessment for drug use. While it's a cost-efficient means to eliminate drug use for most samples, any positive screen must be confirmed to be legally valid. Samples that show a presumptive positive during Screening mandate a secondary confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for the Extraction stage. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at substantially lower concentrations than in other methods (ex. urine or oral fluid), highlighting the complexity of performing hair drug screening.

Positive screening outcomes undergo Confirmation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positives are washed prior to confirmation if necessary. The entire process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and conforms to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter detection times.
• Difficult to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is quite challenging, enhancing the accuracy of results.
• Offers historical patterns: Hair testing captures drug usage over a significant period, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to appear detectable in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests are pricier than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: While termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand and not on the follicle under the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Collings Lakes, NJ

In comparing hair testing with its traditional counterpart, urine testing, the detection accuracy and reliability of hair tests stand out. Hair tests are resistant to common tampering techniques and provide a comprehensive substance use profile over weeks or months, highlighting their superiority in detecting long-term patterns of use.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Collings Lakes, NJ

Hair follicle testing excels with its extended detection window, identifying drug use up to 90 days prior. This method allows employers to receive a detailed overview of an individual's drug history, surpassing the capabilities of traditional testing methods, which ensure a thorough understanding of substance use patterns.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Collings Lakes, NJ

Hair follicle tests offer a tamper-resistant advantage by significantly reducing the likelihood of sample manipulation, a common issue with other methods. This secure testing technique guarantees the collection of authentic results, enhancing the credibility and reliability of the outcomes for all stakeholders involved.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Collings Lakes, NJ

Our widespread network of testing centers facilitates easy access no matter where you are. With locations spread nationwide, including locally in Collings Lakes, testing services are quickly and easily accessible, allowing you to avoid the hassle often associated with drug testing logistics.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Collings Lakes, NJ

Our hair testing procedure emphasizes simplicity and confidentiality. By streamlining ordering, testing, and result retrieval, we ensure privacy and ease for each client. This ensures that personal information remains secure while simplifying the entire process from start to finish, maintaining trust.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Collings Lakes, NJ

We boast competitive pricing and prompt turnaround times, ensuring excellent value for companies regardless of size. Our services offer both detailed and expedited results, providing peace of mind by delivering quality and economically efficient testing solutions without sacrificing thoroughness.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Collings Lakes, NJ

Hair follicle drug tests offer unmatched precision and speed, making them the choice for those needing accurate detection of substance use. This method's advanced technology ensures high accuracy, providing reliable results that remain consistent across repeated tests. Thus, trust grows in its ability to identify a wide range of substances.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Collings Lakes, NJ

Utilizing hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies by providing reliable data, thereby reducing legal liabilities. Employers gain peace of mind, promoting a safe and productive work environment, confident in knowing all substance use policies are upheld accurately.

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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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