Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mount Bethel, NJ

What it is, How it works

Recognized as an efficient means for identifying alcohol and drug consumption, hair testing is increasingly popular. Hair captures evidence of drugs and alcohol over time, as the growing strand embeds biomarkers. When sourced near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a three-month span of drug use detection. It is easy to collect, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A strand length of 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 strands (similar to the girth of a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg, perfect for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and tests over 10 panels, it's best to have 150mg. It's advisable to measure the sample using a jeweler's scale. If head hair is unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. Head hair refers specifically to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (like facial or axillary hair).

Process Brief

There are four primary phases in laboratory handling for drug test results: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the introduction of the sample into a lab's system, ensuring it was sealed and sent correctly, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any outstanding data entries not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening serves as an initial evaluation for drug presence. It provides a cost-effective means to negate drug use for most cases, though positive finds must be confirmed for legal validity. Samples with potential positive results from Screening must undergo a follow-up confirmation.

When a specimen tests presumptively positive at the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the primary sample for Extraction. This part involves extracting drugs from hair at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a challenging process.

Confirmation occurs using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS for any positive Screening results. All samples indicated as positive receive washing as required before confirmation. The entire procedure—from Accessioning to Confirmation—undergoes a review under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and complies with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Benefits of hair drug analysis:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug analysis identifies drug use over approximately 90 days, unlike urine tests with narrower windows.
• Hard to manipulate: Hair drug analysis is difficult to falsify, ensuring accuracy in results.
• Records historical patterns: It offers insights into a drug use pattern over time beyond just recent consumption.

Challenges:

• Limits on detecting recent usage: Drugs need about 5-7 days to show in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug analysis typically incurs higher costs than some other testing approaches.
• Result variations: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth differences can alter metabolite concentration in hair.

Clarification: Though called "hair follicle tests", the assessment targets the hair strand, not the scalp's hair follicle

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Mount Bethel, NJ, hair follicle testing offers unmatched benefits over traditional urine tests. The longer detection window up to 90 days provides a larger scope of substance usage patterns, making it a standout. The superior accuracy and near-impossible alteration make it a reliable choice when testing for drugs.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Mount Bethel, NJ, is notable for its extended detection range. Covering up to 90 days, it gives a thorough look at substance habits, offering employers a broad analysis of potential hires or current employees. This method provides a significant advantage over shorter detection tests.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Mount Bethel, NJ, are highly tamper-resistant. The method reduces the chance of adulteration, yielding reliable and unquestionable outcomes. This feature is crucial for employers and legal bodies seeking credible drug screening results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Conveniently situated nationwide and in Mount Bethel, NJ, our testing centers offer seamless and quick access to services. This accessibility ensures a hassle-free testing experience for all clients, maintaining efficiency and simplicity.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process in Mount Bethel, NJ, is straightforward and confidential, addressing privacy concerns effectively. From ordering to receiving results, every step is designed for ease of use, ensuring clients a stress-free experience while keeping their information secure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering affordable pricing in Mount Bethel, NJ, our competitive pricing and rapid turnaround deliver valuable services for businesses of any scale. Clients benefit from the economic and efficient approach, securing necessary insights without hefty costs.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Mount Bethel, NJ, hair follicle testing stands out for its speed and precision. The method promises swift, definitive results, which makes it a preferred option for detecting drug usage. The accuracy of this testing process is robust, ensuring reliable identification of substances.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Mount Bethel, NJ, hair follicle testing ensures adherence to workplace drug policies. By using this method, companies reduce legal risks and contribute to a safer work environment. This testing type provides employers with compliance and peace of mind regarding 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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