Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Elida, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective approach for identifying alcohol and drug use. Hair captures a historical record of drugs and alcohol by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. Collected near the scalp, it offers a detection span of up to roughly 3 months for substances. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient for shipping.

A 1.5-inch sample, consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil), gathered nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, ideal for both screening and confirmation. For tests requiring EtG or more than 10 panels, a specimen weight of 150mg is advised. Using a jeweler's scale is suggested for weighing. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair is suitable for collection. When referring to head hair, it's specifically about scalp hair, whereas body hair includes all other hair types (such as facial and axillary).

Process Overview

The lab process for drug test results includes four main phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning covers the initial integration of a sample into the lab’s system. This includes checking the sample's seal and shipment, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any other data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a swift preliminary inspection for drug abuse. While it's a cost-efficient method for ruling out drug use in most samples, any positive results must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Samples with presumptive positives in Screening need further confirmation.

Should a sample test presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at far lower concentrations compared to other techniques (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening particularly challenging to execute.

Positive screening confirmations are carried out via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples flagged as positive are washed before confirmation as necessary. The comprehensive lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests reveal drug use spanning up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter detection periods.
• Hard to deceive: It's exceptionally challenging to manipulate a hair drug test, ensuring more accurate outcomes.
• Yields historical insights: It reveals a timeline of drug consumption, not limited to recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting immediate use: Drugs in hair take roughly 5-7 days to become traceable.
• Price: Hair drug tests tend to be more pricey than alternative testing methods.
• Result fluctuation: Variables such as hair color and individual growth rates can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests", the assessment actually involves analyzing the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Elida, NM
Hair testing is superior to traditional urine tests as it offers greater detection accuracy and reliability. Its extended detection period provides a much clearer picture of drug use behavior compared to urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Elida, NM
Unlike other testing methods, hair follicle tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days. This extended detection period offers employers a comprehensive view of an individual's substance use history, aiding better decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Elida, NM
Hair follicle testing minimizes the risk of sample manipulation, ensuring that the results obtained are authentic and trustworthy. This credibility makes hair tests invaluable in upholding the integrity of testing outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Elida, NM
Our testing centers are easily accessible across the nation, including Elida, NM, providing speedy and convenient service to meet all testing needs without the hassle.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Elida, NM
The process of ordering, taking, and receiving hair follicle test results is straightforward and discreet. This ensures privacy and ease for individuals throughout the testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Elida, NM
We offer competitive pricing and swift result delivery, ensuring excellent value for businesses of any size. Our efficient service eases the burden on companies, providing peace of mind.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Elida, NM
Hair follicle drug tests outshine other methods by delivering quick and highly accurate results. Their precision in detecting substance use is unmatched, offering a dependable solution for those seeking assurance in drug testing outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Elida, NM
Utilizing hair follicle drug tests helps ensure adherence to drug-free workplace policies. This reduces potential legal issues and promotes a safer, more productive 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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