Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Greenburgh, NY

What it is, How it works

Recognized as an effective means for identifying substance use, hair testing captures drug and alcohol use through biomarkers embedded in the strands as they grow. When hair is sampled near the scalp, it offers an approximately 90-day detection period for both alcohol and other drugs. The process of collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch portion comprising around 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil in thickness) taken from nearest the scalp yields about 100mg of hair, which is ideal for analysis. For EtG, add-on tests, or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg specimen is advisable. Using a jeweler's scale for weighing is recommended. If scalp hair is not available, a similar quantity of body hair is an alternative. "Head hair" refers solely to scalp hair, whereas "body hair" encompasses other forms like facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The four core phases encompassing the laboratory processing of drug testing include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial handling of a specimen as it is recorded into a laboratory's process. This involves ensuring the sample was properly sealed and transmitted, allocating it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing data requirements absent in an electronic chain of custody setup.

Screening serves as a preliminary evaluation for substance abuse. Although it effectively rules out drug presence in most samples affordably, a positive result necessitates confirmatory testing for legal acceptability. Samples yielding presumptive positives in Screening require further validation.

For samples indicating a presumptive positive during Screening, further extraction of hair from the initial collection is performed. In this stage, the concentrations of drugs extracted from hair are remarkably lower compared to other techniques (such as urine or oral fluids), underlining the complexity inherent in hair drug screening procedures.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation through methods like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are washed before confirmation when necessary. Laboratory processes from Accessioning to Confirmation undergo verification by both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standard accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests allow for the detection of drug use over 90 days, longer than the period allowed by urine tests.
• Challenges in tampering: Cheating a hair drug test is notably challenging, ensuring greater accuracy in results.
• Historical insights: Hair testing offers a timeline of drug use over an extended period, rather than focusing on immediate usage.

Limitations:

• Undetectable recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days post-use.
• Higher costs: Hair drug testing tends to be pricier compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair samples.

Note: While often termed "hair follicle tests", these actually examine the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Greenburgh, NY significantly outperforms traditional urine tests. The superior detection accuracy of hair tests stretches over a longer timeframe, capturing a more comprehensive substance use history. The reliability and precision of hair testing make it the preferred method for organizations and individuals who value thoroughness and accuracy over conventional techniques.

Extended Detection Window

With hair follicle testing in Greenburgh, NY, the extended detection window provides a clear advantage. Drugs can be traced back up to 90 days, offering a wider retrospective view of an individual's substance use. Employers gain an enhanced understanding of an employee's or applicant's history, ensuring more informed decisions based on comprehensive data.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Greenburgh, NY offers a tamper-resistant method for obtaining drug test samples. Unlike other testing methods, hair samples are nearly impossible to adulterate, ensuring that the results are reliable and beyond question. This robust level of security reassures stakeholders of the integrity and validity of the testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Greenburgh, NY, and beyond, the convenience of having numerous nationwide testing centers ensures easy and hassle-free access to drug testing services. These facilities provide quick service and are strategically distributed to serve our clients efficiently, thus facilitating easy access for testing whenever needed.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair follicle testing in Greenburgh, NY is both simple and confidential. From ordering the test to taking the sample and receiving the results, each step is designed with privacy and ease-of-use in mind. This ensures that participants are comfortable and assured of discretion throughout the testing procedure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Greenburgh, NY offers affordable pricing and quick turnaround times. Our competitive pricing structures provide excellent value, enabling companies of all sizes to implement comprehensive drug testing programs without financial strain, ultimately delivering peace of mind and ensuring future success.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Greenburgh, NY, hair follicle drug testing ensures prompt and reliable results. Precision in detection makes it a preferred choice for determining substance use. The advanced methodology employed by hair testing detects traces with high accuracy, ensuring that the findings are both swift and dependable, significantly benefiting employers and other concerned parties.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Greenburgh, NY, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This approach reduces legal risks and bolsters workplace safety. By choosing hair tests, companies send a strong message about their commitment to a safe working environment, offering employers peace of mind coupled with strict adherence to internal regulations.

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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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