Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Norwood, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has been recognized as a potent method for identifying alcohol and drug consumption. Hair captures a comprehensive timeline of alcohol and drug intake by embedding biomarkers within the growing hair strand's fibers. When taken near the head, hair can offer up to roughly a 3-month detection timeline for drugs and alcohol. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively resistant to tampering, and convenient to transport.

A segment measuring 1.5 inches of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for testing and validation. For EtG, supplemental assays, and/or screens exceeding 10 panels, an amount of 150mg is advised. We suggest measuring the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a similar volume of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair pertains to all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four crucial stages in the lab processing of drug test outcomes include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Validation.

Accessioning is the starting point for integrating a sample into a lab’s system. This step verifies that the sample was properly sealed and dispatched, assigns an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any other data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid evaluation for abused substances. While Screening is cost-efficient for excluding drug use in most samples, a positive initial result needs a secondary confirmation for court acceptability. Any samples showing likely positive results in Screening require additional confirmation.

Upon obtaining presumptively positive results during the Screening phase, additional hair is removed from the original specimen and processed for Extraction. Drugs are then extracted from the hair at much lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), explaining why hair drug analysis is the most technically challenging to conduct.

Verification of any positive Screening outcome is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with potential positive results undergo washing before confirmation if necessary. The entire laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can detect drug intake for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests provide a shorter detection period.
• Hard to outsmart: It is exceedingly challenging to manipulate a hair drug test, enhancing the accuracy of results.
• Historical usage data: It offers patterns of drug use over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent usage: A timeframe of roughly 5-7 days is required for drugs to become identifiable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically have higher costs than other testing approaches.
• Result inconsistencies: Elements such as hair color and individual growth variations can impact drug metabolite levels within the hair.

Note: Despite often being called "hair follicle tests," the analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing: The benefits of hair testing over traditional urine tests are clear. Hair analyses reveal a pattern of drug use over a more extended period, allowing for superior detection precision.
This method offers unmatched reliability, with results that are difficult to dispute, making it the preferred choice for thorough substance assessments.

For employers and institutions seeking comprehensive insights, hair tests provide an edge by capturing a broader timeline of drug usage.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window: One of the standout features of hair follicle testing in Norwood, NJ is its extended detection window. By assessing drug use over up to 90 days, employers get an accurate view of an individual's substance history.
This comprehensive timeline is especially beneficial for understanding long-term usage trends and ensuring workplace safety.

With this broad window, hair testing provides insights that typical urine tests cannot match, offering a fuller picture of past drug use.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method: Hair follicle tests in Norwood, NJ reduce tampering risks significantly. The procedure provides reliable results that are difficult to alter, ensuring trustworthy substance information.
Sample integrity is maintained throughout, providing peace of mind that the results are genuine and accurate.

This method builds confidence and trust in the outcomes, reducing the chance of manipulation often associated with other testing methods.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations: Our testing centers in Norwood, NJ, and across the nation make accessing services a breeze. With quick, easy testing services, compliance becomes a hassle-free task.
Local and nationwide coverage provides flexibility and ease, ensuring schedules and needs are efficiently met.

For businesses and individuals alike, these centers offer convenience along with trusted services that are readily accessible.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process: In Norwood, NJ, the process for hair testing is both simple and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, privacy is prioritized, easing concerns.
Users find the streamlined steps straightforward and private, with assurance on confidentiality throughout the procedure.

This ensures an ease of use that addresses user concerns about privacy and security, enhancing the testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround: Our competitive pricing and speedy results at Norwood, NJ locations offer great value. Businesses of all sizes benefit from our efficiency and affordability.
Prompt services provide not only cost-effectiveness but also peace of mind, ensuring that quality doesn’t come at the expense of time.

This makes hair testing accessible, offering strong advantages over prolonged traditional testing methods in terms of speed and economy.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results: In Norwood, NJ, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their precision and speed. They offer high accuracy in identifying substance use, making them a favored choice for those who require trustworthy results swiftly.

The technology used in hair testing is designed to provide reliable outcomes, ensuring that you receive clear and definitive answers regarding substance use.
When quick and precise results are essential, hair testing delivers consistency and accuracy.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers: Utilizing hair follicle testing in Norwood, NJ helps maintain compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This approach reduces legal risks and boosts safety.
Employers gain peace of mind as hair testing supports a secure and compliant environment, deterring substance use at work.

With stringent testing measures, employee welfare, and workplace standards are effectively supported, promoting an overall positive atmosphere.

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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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