Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lakeside, OR

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a detailed history of substance intake by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. Collected near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol usage over a timeframe of up to about 3 months. The collection process is straightforward, the sample is challenging to tamper with, and shipping is uncomplicated.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (similar in thickness to a #2 pencil) taken closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is ideal for both initial screening and confirmation testing. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg sample is advisable. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is recommended. If scalp hair can't be obtained, a similar volume of body hair is an alternative. When discussing head hair, it specifically pertains to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (such as facial or axillary hair).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of drug test results involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial entry of a specimen into the lab’s system. This step includes checking that the sample was dispatched and sealed correctly, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performing any required data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening performs an initial rapid assessment for substance abuse. Screening is a budget-friendly method for eliminating drug presence in most samples, but a positive result must be confirmed for legal validation. Samples with a presumptive positive outcome in Screening necessitate additional confirmation.

When a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair from the original sample is prepared for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other testing methods (like urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug testing the most complex procedure to conduct.

Positive results in Screening go through Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, presumptive positive samples are cleansed as necessary. The entire lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, undergoes a review under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation alongside accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can trace drug usage up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a limited detection span.
• Cheating is difficult: Tampering with hair drug tests is highly challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It charts drug consumption patterns over time, not only recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: It generally takes 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug testing is typically pricier compared to other testing methods.
• Variability in results: Elements like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Commonly labeled as "hair follicle tests," the procedure actually evaluates the hair shaft, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing offers clear advantages over urine tests in Lakeside, OR, with its superior detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, which offer a shorter detection window and can be manipulated, hair tests provide a much longer and comprehensive view of an individual's drug use history, ensuring a more reliable assessment.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing is a significant advantage for employers in Lakeside, OR. Covering up to 90 days, it provides a broader perspective on a person's substance use habits, offering a more complete history for employers evaluating potential or current employees. This extended timeframe is invaluable for informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The risk of tampering with test samples is significantly reduced with hair follicle testing in Lakeside, OR. This method guarantees reliable outcomes by ensuring each sample remains secure and unaltered, providing assurance to those relying on accurate drug testing results. With this approach, the results are both trustworthy and difficult to dispute.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our widespread network of testing centers, including those in Lakeside, OR, offers unmatched convenience, ensuring fast, hassle-free access to testing services. This extensive reach simplifies the testing process for individuals and employers alike, providing an efficient and easy solution for all drug testing needs.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle drug testing in Lakeside, OR, is straightforward and confidential. From ordering the test to receiving results, each step is designed to be user-friendly and privacy-focused, addressing any concerns about confidentiality while ensuring ease of use for all involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Lakeside, OR, our hair follicle drug testing services are competitively priced, offering excellent value for businesses of any size. With quick turnaround times for results, we provide both affordability and reliability, ensuring peace of mind through cost-effective and timely testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Lakeside, OR, the precision and reliability of hair follicle drug tests stand out for their speed and accuracy. These tests provide quick and dependable results, crucial for individuals and employers needing prompt detection of substance use. The method's high accuracy in identifying drug use makes it an indispensable tool for decision-makers.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Lakeside, OR, hair follicle testing is a crucial strategy for maintaining drug-free workplace policies. It ensures robust compliance, minimizes legal risks, and enhances workplace safety. By choosing this testing method, employers gain peace of mind and safeguard their company's interests effectively.

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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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