Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Brentwood, NY

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a robust instrument for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a prolonged history of substances by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the expanding hair strand. When taken from near the scalp, hair can offer up to a 3-month period of detection for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, deemed the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG assessments, additional testing, and/or evaluations exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is preferred. We advise measuring the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent volume of body hair can be obtained. When referring to head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning comprises the initial handling of a specimen into a laboratory's system, including verifying the proper sealing and shipment of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and conducting any auxiliary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of an initial rapid test for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-effective means to eliminate drug use in most cases, a positive screen necessitates confirmation to be legally valid. Any samples preliminarily positive in Screening require further confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive at the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. In this phase, drugs are removed from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methods (like urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most complex technique to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples presumed to be positive are washed before confirmation if required. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection duration: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, contrasting with urine tests which possess a shorter detection window.
• Challenging to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is notably challenging, leading to more reliable results.
• Offers historical insights: It provides a usage pattern over time, not just recent activities.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be costlier than alternative testing methodologies.
• Result variations: Elements such as hair color and individual hair growth variances can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: While commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the test actually analyzes the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Brentwood, NY, hair follicle testing is increasingly recognized for its advantages over traditional urine exams. Hair testing stands out for its detection accuracy, offering a broader detection window and decreasing the likelihood of result manipulation, providing more reliable insights into drug use.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Brentwood, NY offers an extensive detection window of up to 90 days, allowing employers a thorough overview of an applicant's drug use history. This extended detection period gives a more accurate picture and is invaluable in ensuring a safe and drug-free workplace environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Adopting hair follicle testing in Brentwood, NY, significantly reduces tampering risks. Its robust process ensures integrity, yielding trustworthy results. The testing method actively discourages dishonest practices, offering reliable evidence of an individual's substance use history.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Brentwood, NY, the convenience of nationwide drug testing centers offers ease of access for all testing needs. With numerous locations, including local centers, facilitating a swift and simple testing process, achieving accurate results is straightforward regardless of where you are.

Simple, Confidential Process

The confidential process of hair follicle testing in Brentwood, NY ensures privacy while being remarkably simple. The straightforward procedure includes ordering, testing, and receiving results, addressing privacy concerns and ensuring ease of use throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and rapid turnaround in Brentwood, NY, hair follicle testing presents great value. Delivering fast results without sacrificing quality, businesses of any size can rely on top-notch, cost-effective testing services that reinforce their operational security.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests in Brentwood, NY are unparalleled, setting a high standard for accuracy in substance detection. Unlike other methods, hair testing quickly provides reliable results that effectively identify substance use, making it a preferred choice for employers who prioritize precision in their screening processes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Brentwood, NY promotes both compliance and peace of mind for employers. This form of testing aligns with stringent workplace drug-free mandates, minimizing legal exposure and bolstering workplace safety, ensuring organizations can operate securely and confidently.

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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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