Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Whiteson, OR

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has grown into an essential mechanism for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair fibers capture biomarkers along the strand, offering an extended history for alcohol and drug use. When clipped near the scalp, hair can reveal alcohol and drug use within roughly a 90-day period. Hair sampling is easy to gather, moderately tough to tamper with, and simple to dispatch.

A section measuring 1.5 inches of roughly 200 hair strands (similar to the thickness of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp will produce 100mg of hair, optimal for both screening and corroboration. For tests involving EtG add-ons and/or exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. It's best to measure the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair can’t be sourced, an equal amount of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, it pertains only to scalp hair. Body hair indicates all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The core steps involved in lab processing of drug test results are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning constitutes the preliminary handling of a specimen into a lab’s system. This encompasses verifying the sample was properly sealed and sent, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening acts as a primary swift evaluation for potential drug use. While Screening is an economical means to dismiss drug use in most specimens, positive screenings require confirmation for legal acceptability. Any specimens testing positive in Screening necessitate secondary validation.

If a specimen tests positive in the Screening phase, further hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs separate from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening poses a high level of difficulty.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcomes is carried out by GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. Presumptively positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes scrutiny under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection span: Hair drug assessments can reveal drug use up to 90 days prior, whereas urine tests cover a briefer timeline.
• Challenging to manipulate: It's notably challenging to alter a hair drug test result, leading to higher accuracy.
• Historical insight: It offers pattern recognition for drug use over time, rather than just detecting recent use.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: It typically requires 5-7 days for drugs to register within hair.
• Expense: Hair drug assessments are often costlier compared to other test styles.
• Result variations: Elements such as hair color and personal hair growth differences can impact the level of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Commonly termed "hair follicle tests", this testing evaluates the hair strand itself, not the scalp-stationed follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Whiteson, OR, outshines conventional urine tests. These tests provide greater detection accuracy and reliability. With an extended detection window and resilience against tampering, hair tests are the go-to choice for superior drug testing measures.

Extended Detection Window

For employers in Whiteson, OR, hair follicle testing presents an extended detection window, uncovering drug use up to 90 days prior. This offers a thorough insight into an individual's substance consumption history, essential for informed employment decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Whiteson, OR, appreciates the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests. These tests significantly curtail the chances of sample manipulation, guaranteeing results that are both dependable and unquestionable, reinforcing trust in the testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient nationwide and local testing centers in Whiteson, OR, accessing hair follicle drug testing services is seamless. Our centers enable quick, easy testing, eliminating travel hassles and ensuring efficient service delivery across regions.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Whiteson, OR, the hair follicle testing process is simple and confidential. Ordering, undertaking tests, and receiving results are private and user-friendly, addressing concerns regarding privacy while maintaining ease of use.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Whiteson, OR, our hair follicle testing solutions offer competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, delivering valuable services to companies of all sizes. Our approach ensures excellent value and peace of mind at affordable rates.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Whiteson, OR, hair follicle drug tests offer rapid and reliable outcomes. Their precision in detecting substance use surpasses other methods, ensuring accurate results. Due to their efficiency and high sensitivity, these tests are preferred for immediate and dependable assessments.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Whiteson, OR, benefit from enhanced compliance and peace of mind with hair follicle testing. This method supports drug-free workplace policies by minimizing legal risks and promoting workplace safety, making it a prudent choice for businesses.

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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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