Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Pluckemin, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair retains a historical record of these substances by securing biomarkers within the growing hair’s fibers. When collected from near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a 3-month history of alcohol and drug use. Hair is easy to gather, harder to tamper with, and convenient to deliver.

An ideal sample for both screening and confirmation consists of a 1.5-inch piece of about 200 hair strands (approximate size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp, weighing 100mg. For EtG, additional parameters, and tests over 10 panels, a 150mg amount is advisable. It is suggested to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, the same quantity of body hair can be used. Head hair refers only to scalp hair while body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step of integrating a sample into the lab system. It involves confirming the secure sealing and proper shipment of the sample, allocating an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data input absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a rapid preliminary test for drug use. While Screening is an economical means to exclude drug consumption in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be legally valid. Samples with presumptive positives in Screening need additional confirmation.

For samples presumptively positive at the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the original sample for Extraction. Here, drugs are separated from hair at lower concentrations than with urine or oral fluid, making hair drug testing a more complex methodology.

Confirmation for any positive Screening outcome is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation, as necessary. The entire process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extensive detection period: Hair drug tests can indicate drug usage up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter span.
• Challenging to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: Provides drug use patterns over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs take about 5-7 days before they can be detected in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than alternative testing methods.
• Result variability: Hair color and personal differences in hair growth might influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: While frequently called "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand instead of the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing hair follicle tests to traditional urine sampling, hair testing proves more advantageous due to superior detection accuracy and reliability. In Pluckemin, NJ, individuals and organizations find this methodology offers an enhanced assessment approach. It surpasses urine tests in terms of revealing habitual substance use.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing excels with its extended detection window, reflecting substance use over three months. In Pluckemin, NJ, this method equips employers with an expansive view of an applicant or employee's substance engagement, facilitating informed decisions and employee assessments.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The integrity of hair follicle testing lies in its resistance to tampering. By minimizing the potential for sample adulteration, this testing method in Pluckemin, NJ, provides results that are difficult to dispute. Rigorous procedural standards ensure that outcomes are both reliable and trustworthy.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With nationwide and local facilities, accessing testing services becomes seamless in Pluckemin, NJ. Accredited Drug Testing's widespread network ensures prompt, convenient service availability, eliminating barriers to obtaining timely and efficient testing interventions.

Simple, Confidential Process

Accredited Drug Testing simplifies the drug testing process in Pluckemin, NJ, ensuring confidentiality and ease of use. From ordering to results retrieval, the process is streamlined and user-focused, addressing privacy concerns while delivering efficient service.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing and rapid turnaround characterize the services offered by Accredited Drug Testing in Pluckemin, NJ. This combination delivers great value, providing peace of mind for companies of any size, ensuring that essential testing services are both accessible and efficient.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle tests stand out for their speed and precision. Associated with detecting substance use swiftly and accurately, they offer reliable results that minimize uncertainties. In Pluckemin, NJ, this method of drug screening ensures that businesses and individuals receive unequivocal outcomes, enabling informed decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Emphasizing compliance, hair follicle testing assists employers in maintaining drug-free work environments. In Pluckemin, NJ, this method supports regulatory adherence while mitigating legal concerns, thereby enhancing workplace safety and providing reassurance for employers.

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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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