Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hurley, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair screening has emerged as a robust instrument for identifying substance and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a prolonged timeline of alcohol and drugs by incorporating biomarkers within the fibers of the burgeoning hair strand. When collected near the scalp, hair can indicate up to an approximate 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch hair sample consisting of roughly 200 strands (comparable in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the optimal amount for evaluation and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of the sample is suggested. We advise measuring the sample on a jeweler's scale. In cases where scalp hair is absent, a comparable quantity of body hair may be gathered. "Head hair" denotes only scalp hair. "Body hair" pertains to all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary phases in the laboratory examination of a drug test result are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the introductory handling of a sample into a lab’s system. This encompasses verifying that the sample was properly sealed and sent, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any further data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails an initial rapid check for illicit drug use. Although Screening is a budget-friendly means to exclude drug usage on most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples that are presumptively positive in Screening require an additional confirmation step.

If a sample tests presumptively positive in the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepped for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), explaining why hair drug screening is the most complex method to execute.

Any positive screening result undergoes Confirmation using techniques like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation when required. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a shorter detection timespan.
• Difficult to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, making the results more reliable.
• Offers historical data: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent use: It takes roughly 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Expensive: Hair drug tests are typically pricier than alternative drug testing techniques.
• Variability in outcomes: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth variations can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Although often termed "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 in Hurley, NM.

When comparing hair follicle testing to traditional urine tests, the advantages become clear. Hair testing offers unmatched detection accuracy and reliability, consistently outperforming urine-based methods. This ensures peace of mind for employers and testing subjects alike, with hair tests
being harder to adulterate and offering a more comprehensive drug use overview.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Hurley, NM offers a significant benefit to employers. Hair follicle testing can trace substance use over a vastly extended period, up to 90 days, offering employers a thorough insight into an applicant's or employee's drug history.

• Longer detection times
• Comprehensive substance history overview
• Useful for pre-employment screening

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Hurley, NM provides assurance that hair follicle tests minimize risk of sample tampering. This method is nearly impossible to cheat, making results highly reliable and unquestionable. For organizations prioritizing integrity in testing,
hair tests offer a trustworthy option.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Hurley, NM make accessibility seamless. With countless testing centers spanning the nation, including Hurley, NM, individuals can easily access drug testing services ensuring the process is quick and hassle-free.

• Multiple locations available
• Easy access to testing services

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Hurley, NM ensures clients undergo a hassle-free and private experience. Ordering, conducting, and receiving results is straightforward, with confidentiality as a cornerstone of the service. This simplification allows for a hassle-free process

• Easy ordering
• Private testing process
• Confidential result delivery

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Hurley, NM ensures excellent value for businesses. With competitive pricing and swift processing times, companies experience cost-effective solutions matched with rapid results on various scales.

• Cost-effective solutions
• Fast result delivery

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Hurley, NM are made possible through hair follicle testing. This method delivers precision and speed, ensuring high accuracy in substance use detection, giving both individuals and organizations confidence in the results.

• Provides precise results
• Quick turnaround time
• Reliable detection for various substances

While traditional methods have their place, the efficiency of hair testing in delivering rapid and accurate findings without the delay ensures that users receive dependable results promptly.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Hurley, NM is critical. Utilizing hair follicle testing ensures adherence to workplace drug policies, minimizing legal risks and enhancing safety. With hair testing, companies can maintain a drug-free environment,
boosting workplace health and security.

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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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