Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Allenwood, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extensive history of substance use by encapsulating biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. When obtained near the scalp, hair samples can reveal substance presence for a period of approximately three months. Collecting hair is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A specimen of 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the girth of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or analyses beyond 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is advisable. It is suggested to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If head hair is unavailable, an equivalent volume of body hair can be gathered. Referring to head hair implies scalp hair exclusively, while body hair comprises all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The procedure for processing a drug test result in a laboratory encompasses four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial integration of a specimen into a laboratory's system. This step involves confirming that the specimen was sealed and dispatched correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry not included by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary swift assessment for substance misuse. While Screening provides an economical method to exclude drug presence in most samples, any positive result requires confirmation for court admissibility. Samples exhibiting presumptive positive results in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

When a sample appears presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair from the original specimen is used for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), explaining why hair drug screening is the most complex to execute.

Confirmation of positive Screening results is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Every presumptive positive sample undergoes washing before confirmation if necessary. The entire process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can detect substance use for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer shorter detection periods.
• Challenging to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely difficult, leading to more trustworthy results.
• Supplies chronological data: It reveals a history of drug use over time, rather than just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of identifying recent use: It takes around 5-7 days for substances to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug testing typically incurs higher costs compared to other methodologies.
• Variability in results: Elements such as hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests," the assessment examines the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Allenwood, PA, hair follicle testing surpasses traditional urine tests by providing superior detection accuracy and reliability.

Unlike urine tests, hair follicle examinations offer a more comprehensive history, detecting substances over an extended time.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Allenwood, PA benefit from hair follicle testing's extended detection period, which spans up to 90 days.

This long-range detection provides a thorough review of an applicant or employee’s substance history, aiding informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Allenwood, PA minimizes sample tampering, ensuring trust and confidence in the results.

This rigorous test method prevents adulteration, offering unquestionable and stable outcomes for employers.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Allenwood, PA, our testing centers are easily accessible nationwide, providing seamless and stress-free testing services.

We ensure testing is convenient, with numerous locations ensuring quick and straightforward testing processes across the country.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in Allenwood, PA is designed to be simple and confidential, ensuring privacy and ease of use.

Ordering, sampling, and receiving results are straightforward, addressing privacy concerns comprehensively.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Allenwood, PA offers competitive pricing for hair follicle tests, with rapid turnaround times delivering excellent value for businesses.

Our affordable structure provides peace of mind for companies of all sizes, ensuring cost-effective solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Allenwood, PA deliver quick and trustworthy results. These tests offer unmatched precision, decisively identifying substance use.

Employers trust hair follicle tests due to their unparalleled accuracy. The robustness ensures reliable results, vital for maintaining workplace safety.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in Allenwood, PA assures compliance with workplace drug policies and mitigates legal risks.

Employers gain peace of mind, knowing their drug-free policies are upheld while enhancing overall workplace safety.

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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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