Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Carne, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair examinations are increasingly recognized as an effective approach for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a comprehensive timeline of alcohol and other substances by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair strand. When obtained near the scalp, hair can reveal up to around a 3-month detection period for alcohol and other drugs. Hair is easy to gather, relatively challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample comprising approximately 200 hair strands (about the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample size for both screening and confirmation. For EtG and extended panel tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is suggested. We suggest determining the specimen weight using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be gathered, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be used. By head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Whereas body hair includes other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The principal stages in the lab handling of a drug test sample include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning concerns the initial introduction of a specimen into a laboratory’s system. Tasks include checking the sample’s sealing and proper shipping, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performing extra data entries outside of an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid assessment for drug misuse. While Screening is an economical method to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive outcome in this step requires validation to be permissible in legal settings. Any samples initially showing positive in Screening need a subsequent confirmation.

If a specimen is initially positive at the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), explaining why hair drug screening is among the most challenging methods to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All samples initially positive are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is validated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug screenings can find drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a shorter detection window.
• High resistance to tampering: Tampering with a hair drug test is quite difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers usage trends: It provides patterns of drug use across time, rather than just recent usage.

Drawbacks:

• Delayed detection of recent use: It requires around 5-7 days for drugs to be detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug examinations tend to be more costly than other drug testing methods.
• Result variations: Elements such as hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Although called "hair follicle tests", the test evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle underneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Carne, NM, hair follicle testing surpasses traditional urine tests in multiple ways. Hair testing provides enhanced detection accuracy and reliability, making it a superior choice for both employers and individuals.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Carne, NM, offers an extended detection window, allowing for drug use history to be traced back up to 90 days. This offers employers a complete overview of an individual's substance use over time.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The tamper-resistant qualities of hair follicle testing in Carne, NM, drastically lower the chances of sample manipulation, ensuring reliable, unquestionable test outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

No matter where you are in Carne, NM, our widespread testing networks offer easy, quick access to testing facilities, ensuring a hassle-free experience nationwide.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Carne, NM, the process for hair follicle testing is straightforward and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, every step respects privacy and is designed for user convenience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our competitive pricing strategies in Carne, NM, paired with swift turnaround times, provide businesses of all sizes with great value and peace of mind.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision of hair follicle drug tests in Carne, NM, ensures rapid and accurate results every time. Their high accuracy is unparalleled in detecting substance use, making them a preferred option for many employers and organizations.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Adopting hair follicle testing in Carne, NM, is pivotal for employers seeking to maintain compliance with workplace drug policies, minimizing legal risks while fostering a safer work environment.

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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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