Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hickson, ND

What it is, How it works

Hair assessment has become recognized as an effective measure for identifying substance and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged record of alcohol and drugs by embedding biomarkers within the growing hair fiber. When acquired close to the scalp, hair can reveal up to a 90-day detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, harder to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A sample size of 1.5 inches comprising roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil's thickness) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, an ideal amount for analysis and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is suggested. It is recommended to weigh the sample using a scale designed for jewelry. If scalp hair is insufficient, a proportionate quantity of body hair may be gathered. Head hair refers strictly to hair from the scalp. Body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four primary procedures in laboratory drug test processing are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary handling of a specimen within a lab's framework. This covers verifying proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any extra data input absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening constitutes an initial rapid examination for substance abuse. While Screening is an economical method to dismiss drug use in most cases, a positive result requires confirmation to be valid in judicial processes. Samples yielding a positive indication in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

Should a sample test positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for Extraction. At this juncture, drugs are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), which underscores the complexity of hair drug screening.

Verifying any positive screening outcome is achieved via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples testing positive are cleansed prior to confirmation as necessary. The entire lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the accreditation of ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can trace drug use for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine testing, which has a narrower detection span.
• Highly resistant to manipulation: Cheating on a hair drug test is exceedingly challenging, thus enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insights: It can depict a pattern of drug use over time, beyond recent use alone.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent usage: It requires approximately 5-7 days for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug testing usually costs more than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and individual growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although often termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Hickson, ND, hair follicle testing stands out as a superior method due to its extended detection period compared to traditional urine tests. Hair tests can detect substance use over a longer duration, ensuring more reliable and comprehensive insights into an individual's drug history.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Hickson, ND, offers an extended detection window, identifying drug use up to 90 days prior. This long-range detection provides employers with a detailed view of an individual's substance history, enhancing decision-making processes.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Hickson, ND, significantly minimize the risk of sample tampering, delivering trustworthy results. This method ensures that results are reliable and unaltered, providing peace of mind and robust support for employer policies.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With numerous testing sites nationwide and in Hickson, ND, accessing hair follicle testing services is straightforward and convenient. Our local facilities ensure quick and seamless access to required testing services, minimizing disruption to daily operations.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Hickson, ND, is simple and confidential. The steps involved in ordering, sample collection, and receiving results are straightforward, maintaining privacy and ease for all parties involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our hair follicle testing services in Hickson, ND, offer competitive pricing and fast turnaround times. These features provide excellent value for businesses, ensuring peace of mind and compliance at affordable rates that all organizations can embrace.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The hair follicle drug test provides rapid, accurate results in Hickson, ND. With superior detection capabilities, this test boasts high accuracy in identifying substance use, making it an essential tool for organizations determined to maintain a drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Hickson, ND, hair follicle testing increases compliance with drug-free workplace initiatives, reducing legal risks and promoting a safe working environment. This method enhances workplace safety by ensuring drug-free compliance with ease and reliability.

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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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