Hair Follicle Drug Testing - East Norwich, NY

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now renowned as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands capture biomarkers within their fibers during their growth, providing an extended history of substance use. When sourced near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use over a period of up to 90 days. The collection process is straightforward, it’s moderately hard to tamper with, and it’s convenient to send for analysis.

A hair sample approximately 1.5 inches in length, made up of around 200 strands (analogous to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg, which is the optimal amount for screening and verification. For EtG testing or panels exceeding ten, a 150mg sample is preferred. We advise using a jeweler’s scale to measure the sample’s weight. If head hair isn’t accessible, a comparable quantity of body hair can be used. By head hair, we imply scalp hair alone. Body hair encompasses all other kinds such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of drug test results comprises four key phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the primary step where a sample is logged into the lab’s system. This step includes confirming the sample was secured and transported correctly, generating a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry if an electronic chain of custody system isn’t used.

Screening is a preliminary assessment for substance abuse. Screening is a budget-friendly method to largely eliminate drug use in most samples; however, to be legally admissible, a positive screen must undergo confirmation. For samples believed positive during Screening, further confirmation is essential.

When a specimen tests presumptively positive in Screening, additional hair is taken from the initial sample and prepared for the Extraction phase. Drugs in this phase are extracted from hair at lower concentrations than through other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing particularly challenging.

Confirming any positive screen result utilizes GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positive samples are thoroughly washed before confirmation as required. Each phase, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is meticulously reviewed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and accredited according to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair analysis can reveal substance use for up to 90 days, in contrast with the shorter window of urine tests.
• Challenging to falsify: Tampering with hair drug tests is notably difficult, ensuring more dependable results.
• Chronological data: It traces a pattern of drug consumption over time, not just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent use: Detection of drugs in hair takes roughly 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair testing often incurs higher costs compared to other testing techniques.
• Result variability: Drug metabolite concentration in hair can be affected by factors like hair color and personal hair growth differences.

Note: Although termed "hair follicle tests", these tests examine the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing provides numerous advantages over urine testing in East Norwich, NY. It boasts superior detection accuracy and reliability, making it a favored choice. Unlike traditional testing, hair tests offer a broader detection window, capturing substance use over several months.

Unlike urine testing, hair tests are hard to manipulate, ensuring dependable results. Employers and legal bodies increasingly turn to hair follicle testing for its robustness in drug detection, ensuring compliance and safety.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in East Norwich, NY, is unparalleled. It allows the identification of drug use for up to 90 days, offering a detailed substance use history for individuals.

This comprehensive detection capability enables employers to assess an applicant or employee's long-term substance habits more effectively, offering a fuller picture of their lifestyle and potential risk to workplace safety.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests in East Norwich, NY, is a significant advantage. These tests minimize the risk of sample adulteration, ensuring results are reliable and unquestionable.

The integrity of hair follicle testing means employers can confidently rely on the findings. This assurance is especially critical in environments where drug-free policies are strictly enforced, enhancing trust in the testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers convenient nationwide and local testing facilities in East Norwich, NY. These centers provide quick and hassle-free access to hair follicle testing services, ensuring smooth and efficient customer experiences.

The widespread availability of these facilities means that individuals and businesses can readily obtain testing services without prolonged inconvenience or travel, enhancing accessibility and comfort.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for conducting hair follicle drug tests in East Norwich, NY, is straightforward and confidential. From ordering the test to receiving the results, the entire procedure is designed to protect privacy and ensure ease of use.

The discrete nature of this process reassures individuals who undergo testing. They can confidently expect both a hassle-free experience and secure handling of their information throughout the testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In East Norwich, NY, hair follicle testing is offered at competitive prices, making it an accessible option for companies of all sizes. The rapid turnaround times further enhance its desirability, providing excellent value.

Affordable pricing combined with quick results allows businesses to efficiently manage drug testing requirements, ensuring they receive the best service without financial strain.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In East Norwich, NY, hair follicle drug tests are celebrated for their speed and precision. They offer high accuracy in identifying substance usage, making them a reliable option. Results are processed efficiently, ensuring timely reporting without compromising the quality of data.

The capability of hair follicle tests to deliver accurate readings swiftly sets them apart. This precision is particularly vital for employers and individuals requiring assured and rapid verification of drug use history.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in East Norwich, NY, benefit from using hair follicle tests to ensure compliance with workplace policies. This testing method helps reduce legal risks and enhances workplace safety, providing peace of mind.

By adopting hair follicle testing, businesses can maintain and enforce zero-tolerance drug policies effectively, promoting a safer and more productive work environment for all employees.

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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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