Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Ewing, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is regarded as a robust method for identifying substance and alcohol usage. It offers a comprehensive history of alcohol and drugs by capturing biomarkers in the hair's growing strands. When clipped near the scalp, a hair sample may reveal drug and alcohol use over a period of about three months. Collection of hair samples is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easily transportable.

A sample of 1.5 inches with roughly 200 strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the optimal quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG analysis, extra tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, it is suggested to gather 150mg of the specimen. It's ideal to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, a comparable quantity of body hair can be used. Head hair refers solely to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning deals with entering a sample into the laboratory system. This process ensures proper sealing and shipment of the sample, allocates a randomized LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves an initial rapid assessment for substances of abuse. While cost-effective for ruling out drug usage in most samples, a positive screen mandates confirmation for legal admissibility. All presumptive positive samples from Screening must undergo secondary verification.

Upon a presumptive positive in Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample and readied for Extraction. This stage involves isolating drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than what other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid) offer, which makes hair drug screening especially demanding to perform.

Positive screening results are confirmed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any samples that test presumptively positive are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The entire laboratory continuum from Accessioning to Confirmation adheres to both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designations and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can uncover drug usage for up to 90 days, surpassing the shorter span of urine tests.
• Challenge to manipulate: Hair drug tests are exceptionally difficult to manipulate, enhancing result accuracy.
• Reveals usage patterns: It offers a timeline of drug usage, not just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Incapable of indicating recent use: Drugs require approximately 5-7 days to be traceable in hair.
• Price: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs than alternative drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Though often termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Ewing, NJ, hair follicle testing outshines traditional urine tests with its superior detection capabilities. The accuracy of hair testing lies in its ability to detect a wider range of substances, delivering results that employers and legal authorities trust.

Unlike urine tests, hair follicle tests offer reliability by analyzing drug use over a significantly longer period. This makes hair testing a preferred choice for many organizations.

Extended Detection Window

Extended detection is a key advantage of hair follicle testing in Ewing, NJ. This method can trace drug use for up to 90 days, a timeframe far surpassing that of urine tests.

This longer detection window provides employers with a comprehensive overview of an employee's substance use history, aiding in more effective workplace management and hiring decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

One of the most significant benefits of hair follicle tests in Ewing, NJ, is their tamper-resistant nature. The collection process ensures the integrity of the sample, making it virtually impossible to alter results.

Employers can be assured that the results they receive are reliable and valid, as the risk of sample adulteration is significantly reduced compared to urine testing.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our convenient locations in Ewing, NJ, and nationwide ensure that individuals can access drug testing services quickly and easily. Accredited Drug Testing offers a network of testing centers across the country.

This extensive network guarantees that no matter where you are, there is a nearby testing center ready to facilitate the process, streamlining the drug testing experience.

Simple, Confidential Process

The simple and confidential nature of hair follicle testing in Ewing, NJ, makes it an attractive option for many. The process is straightforward, from ordering the test to obtaining results, prioritizing user privacy.

Clients can be assured of discreet handling of their testing information, which fosters trust and ensures compliance with privacy standards.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Ewing, NJ, our hair follicle testing boasts affordable pricing and fast turnaround times, offering great value for businesses of every size. This approach makes high-quality testing accessible and cost-effective.

With competitive pricing structures and quick delivery of results, companies can manage their testing needs efficiently while safeguarding their operations.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Ewing, NJ, are lauded for delivering fast, accurate, and reliable results. These tests excel in rapidly detecting a wide range of substances, ensuring employers can make informed decisions swiftly.

The high precision of hair follicle testing minimizes false positives and negatives, offering confidence in test outcomes. This ensures a robust and dependable testing process for all concerned parties.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Ewing, NJ, hair follicle testing provides employers with peace of mind, ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This method minimizes legal risks and supports a safer working environment.

By using hair tests, companies demonstrate their commitment to maintaining safety and adherence to regulations, reducing potential liabilities associated with drug use.

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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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