Hair Follicle Drug Testing - West Unity, OH

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged record of substance use by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the forming hair shaft. When cut near the scalp, it can offer a detection window spanning close to three months for alcohol and other substances. Hair is easy to obtain, relatively tamper-proof, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch section comprising roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil's girth) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for both screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. To ensure accuracy, we suggest using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. Should scalp hair be inaccessible, an equivalent mass of body hair can be gathered. When discussing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other types (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The laboratory drug test procedure encompasses four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial integration of a specimen into a laboratory’s system. This process includes verifying correct sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any missing data not provided by an electronic chain of custody application.

Screening entails an initial brief assessment for drug abuse. While Screening offers a cost-effective avenue for eliminating drug presence in most samples, any positive indications necessitate confirmation to be legally valid. Samples that test presumptively positive during Screening require subsequent verification.

Should a sample test positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample for Extraction. Extraction involves removing drugs from the hair at significantly lower levels than alternative methods like urine or oral fluid tests, making the hair drug screening method one of the most challenging to execute.

Confirmation of any positive Screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All samples with presumptive positives are cleaned before confirmation if necessary. The complete laboratory routine from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes examination under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can reveal drug usage for up to ninety days, contrary to urine tests that have a shorter timeframe.
• Hard to falsify: Hair drug tests are quite challenging to manipulate, enhancing the accuracy of the results.
• Historical data provision: This method can display a substance use trend over some time, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent usage: Approximately 5-7 days pass before substances become detectable in hair.
• Costly: Hair drug tests usually incur higher costs than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Aspects such as hair color and individual hair growth differences can sway the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests," the analysis targets the hair shaft instead of the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In West Unity, OH, hair follicle testing surpasses urine examinations by offering superior detection and reliability. The extended detection window of hair tests captures substance intake over a long duration, making them more effective. This method ensures accurate insights for stakeholders who prioritize comprehensive assessments over traditional means.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in West Unity, OH, stands out due to its remarkable detection window, spanning up to 90 days. This extensive timespan allows employers to gain a thorough understanding of an individual's substance history, offering a more comprehensive view than conventional testing methods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in West Unity, OH, is a robust method that greatly minimizes the chances of sample contamination. This technique ensures that results are reliable and indisputable, thus offering stakeholders confidence in the authenticity of the findings.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In West Unity, OH, convenience is paramount with our widespread testing centers. Quick and easy access to testing services is assured, making it hassle-free for individuals and employers alike to utilize our nationwide and local facilities for their testing needs.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair follicle testing in West Unity, OH, is straightforward and private. From ordering to testing and obtaining results, simplicity and confidentiality are maintained throughout, addressing user concerns regarding privacy and the ease of use of our services.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In West Unity, OH, our competitive pricing and swift turnaround times set us apart. Providing excellent value for businesses of all sizes, we ensure effective solutions that afford peace of mind without compromising on cost-efficiency or timeliness.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and rapidity of hair follicle drug tests are unparalleled in West Unity, OH. These tests offer high accuracy in identifying substance use, making them a top choice for employers and individuals seeking reliable results. Speed and accuracy are key benefits, providing stakeholders with definitive insights into substance use habits.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in West Unity, OH, can achieve compliance with drug-free workplace policies through hair follicle testing. This method enhances workplace safety and minimizes legal risks by ensuring that all employees adhere to set standards, providing peace of mind to the organization.

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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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