Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Eagle Crest, OR

What it is, How it works

Seen as an influential method, hair testing is effective in uncovering drug and alcohol use. Hair holds a long-term record of substance intake by encasing biomarkers within the growing hair fibers. If hair is cut close to the scalp, it can offer up to a three-month observation span for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, challenging to alter, and straightforward to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches comprising roughly 200 hair strands (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional elements, and/or testing over 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is advised. We advocate for weighing the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. When scalp hair is inaccessible, an equivalent measure of body hair can be gathered. When mentioning head hair, we are specifically referring to scalp hair only. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning is about the initial step of processing a sample into a laboratory’s system. It entails verifying that the sample was correctly sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is an initial rapid check for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient approach to discarding drug use in a majority of samples, a positive screen must be verified for court admissibility. Any samples that are preliminarily positive in Screening require secondary confirmation.

Upon a presumptively positive result in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for Extraction. At this phase, drugs are detached from hair at a considerably lower concentration than in other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to carry out.

The Confirmation of any positive screening result is conducted via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples preliminarily positive are cleansed before confirmation when necessary. The comprehensive laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and in alignment with accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can signify drug intake over a span of up to 90 days, compared to urine tests with a shorter observation period.
• Resistance to deception: Cheating in a hair drug test is notably difficult, resulting in more precise outcomes.
• Presents historical use: Provides a timeline of drug intake over time rather than just current consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs require approximately 5-7 days to become evident in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests cost more compared to other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and individual differences in hair growth can impact drug metabolite concentration in the hair.

Note: While commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis itself focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Eagle Crest, OR, hair follicle testing stands out against traditional urine tests. Its superior detection accuracy and reliability provide an edge, ensuring long-term drug use is effectively identified.

While urine tests detect recent use, hair tests offer a wider detection window. For those seeking a thorough analysis, hair testing proves invaluable.

Extended Detection Window

Thanks to their extended detection window of up to 90 days, hair follicle tests in Eagle Crest, OR provide employers a thorough view of an individual's drug history.

By covering a longer timeframe, hair tests allow for a more comprehensive understanding of an applicant's or employee's substance use, ensuring informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Eagle Crest, OR minimize risks of sample adulteration, ensuring tamper-resistant testing methods.

Unlike other tests susceptible to interference, hair tests offer unyielding integrity in results, ensuring that accuracy remains uncompromised.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Testing in Eagle Crest, OR is made convenient with numerous nationwide centers. Our extensive network ensures easy, seamless access for all testing needs, offering hassle-free experiences.

With local facilities, residents can swiftly find an accredited center, improving accessibility and reducing wait times.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Eagle Crest, OR is simple and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, every step ensures privacy and ease.

This user-friendly approach addresses privacy concerns, making the testing experience comfortable for everyone involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Providing affordable solutions in Eagle Crest, OR, our competitive pricing structures yield excellent value for businesses large and small.

Quick turnaround times accompany these cost-effective options, ensuring companies enjoy a blend of efficiency and budget-friendly services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Eagle Crest, OR guarantee fast and precise results. With their exceptional accuracy, these tests can effectively trace substance use, offering reliable data when needed.

Emphasizing efficiency, hair tests cut waiting times significantly, ensuring individuals and companies receive timely results. This swiftness in delivering accurate outcomes enhances confidence in the process.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Eagle Crest, OR, hair follicle tests ensure compliance with drug-free policies, offering peace of mind and minimizing legal exposure.

Implementing these tests into workplaces enhances safety, reinforcing employers’ commitments to maintaining a secure working environment.

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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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