Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Blandburg, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers an extended timeline of drug activity by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair strands. When taken near the scalp, a hair sample can detect alcohol and drugs use for up to around 90 days. Hair is easy to gather, relatively resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (around the size of a #2 pencil) near the scalp will provide 100mg of hair, considered the optimal quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional panels, and tests that exceed 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest weighing the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, a comparable quantity of body hair can be collected. When mentioning head hair, we refer exclusively to scalp hair. Body hair refers to all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Procedure Summary

The laboratory process for a drug test result comprises four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial setup of a sample within a laboratory’s system. This phase ensures that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fills in any necessary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a preliminary check for substance abuse. While Screening is an economical method to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive screen needs verification to be valid in legal proceedings. Samples that test positive during Screening require further confirmation.

For samples testing positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. This step involves extracting drugs from hair at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is among the most challenging methods to carry out.

Confirmation for any positive screening result is conducted using techniques like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples testing positive are washed before confirmation if necessary. The entire laboratory sequence, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standard and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 protocols.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter detection periods.
• Hard to manipulate: It is very challenging to falsify a hair drug test, ensuring more reliable results.
• Shows usage pattern: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over time, rather than just recent consumption.

Constraints:

• Unable to detect recent use: There is a delay of approximately 5-7 days before drugs become visible in hair.
• Higher expense: Generally, hair drug tests cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Variability in results: Factors like hair color and individual growth differences can influence drug metabolite levels in the hair.

Note: Even though often called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is done on the hair strand, not on the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Blandburg, PA
Hair testing triumphs over traditional urine tests by providing longer detection windows and heightened reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair analysis offers an extensive review of an individual's drug history, making it incredibly difficult to deceive, which boosts its overall accuracy and dependability.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Blandburg, PA
Hair follicle tests extend the detection period for drug use up to 90 days, offering employers valuable insights into an individual's long-term substance history. This extended timeframe helps businesses make more informed decisions regarding potential hires and current employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Blandburg, PA
These hair follicle tests are designed to minimize the risk of tampering, ensuring the results remain authentic and unquestionable. By making it extremely difficult to alter samples, the tests provide an added layer of security and trust for all involved parties.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Blandburg, PA
Our extensive network of testing centers across the country, including Blandburg, guarantees quick, accessible testing services. Offering seamless scheduling and proximity, these centers ensure a smooth process for all parties involved, promoting convenience and efficiency.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Blandburg, PA
The hair follicle testing process is straightforward and discreet. From ordering to appointment and receiving results, each step is managed with confidentiality and simplicity. This secure approach addresses privacy concerns, ensuring peace of mind for users.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Blandburg, PA
Our competitive pricing structure, coupled with swift turnaround times, provides exceptional value for businesses of all sizes. This cost-effective solution guarantees efficient and reliable testing results, facilitating prompt decision-making and maintaining organizational peace of mind.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Blandburg, PA
Hair follicle drug tests in Blandburg offer a superb accuracy level, efficiently detecting substance use. These tests deliver results with impressive promptness, ensuring both precision and speed. This method provides dependable data, supporting both employers and individuals in making informed decisions rapidly.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Blandburg, PA
Integrating hair follicle testing ensures adherence to drug-free workplace policies, offering employers reassurance and enhancing overall safety. Employers can mitigate legal risks while maintaining a secure and healthy work environment by using this reliable method.

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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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