Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bowmanstown, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as a valuable instrument for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a prolonged history of alcohol and drugs by embedding biomarkers in the growing hair strand. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a 3-month detection window for alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to gather, relatively tamper-proof, and easy to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches containing approximately 200 strands of hair (equivalent to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, the perfect quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. We suggest weighing the hair on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, a similar quantity of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, we mean scalp hair specifically. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Overview of the Process

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

Accessioning concerns the preliminary processing of a sample into a lab’s system, which includes checking if the sample was sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry absent from the electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails a preliminary swift inspection for drugs of abuse. While Screening offers a cost-efficient method to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen needs confirmation to be admissible in court. Any samples with a presumptive positive in Screening demand a secondary confirmation.

If the sample is presumptively positive at the Screening stage, additional hair is taken from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are retrieved from hair at a lower concentration than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), hence hair drug screening is the most challenging methodology.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation if necessary. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Prolonged detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days prior, unlike urine tests that have a shorter detection period.
• Hard to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is very challenging, rendering more reliable results.
• Offers historical insight: It can illustrate a pattern of drug use over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Cannot identify recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be pricier than other drug testing approaches.
• Fluctuations in results: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentration in the hair.

Note: Despite being commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Bowmanstown, PA

Hair follicle tests outshine traditional urine tests due to superior accuracy and reliability. Hair samples capture a longer-term drug use profile, unlike urine which detects substances taken recently. Employers and authorities benefit from the comprehensive view that hair testing provides, making it the preferred choice.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Bowmanstown, PA

With a detection window extending up to 90 days, hair follicle testing provides a deeper insight into a person's substance use history. Employers gain a comprehensive understanding of potential or current employees, ensuring informed hiring and retention decisions based on long-term patterns rather than fleeting traces.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Bowmanstown, PA

Hair follicle tests significantly curtail the ability to adulterate samples, guaranteeing trustworthy and defendant results. In Bowmanstown, PA, these tamper-resistant tests ensure certainty in substance detection, reassuring authorities and employers of the validity of the test outcomes without external interference.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Bowmanstown, PA

Offering convenience via our widespread network, Accredited Drug Testing has centers across the nation, including in Bowmanstown, PA. This readily accessible testing service ensures quick and easy checks without hassle, making sure you can maintain compliance with minimal effort and maximum convenience.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Bowmanstown, PA

In Bowmanstown, our simple and confidential drug testing process respects individual privacy at every step. From ordering to test-taking and result retrieval, the system is designed for ease and discretion, addressing all possible concerns around confidentiality while ensuring straightforward use for all clients.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Bowmanstown, PA

Accredited Drug Testing offers competitive pricing along with quick turnaround times, providing excellent value to businesses in Bowmanstown. Our budget-conscious pricing means that organizations, regardless of size, can access high-quality testing services without stretching their financial resources.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Bowmanstown, PA

Hair follicle drug tests in Bowmanstown offer unmatched precision and speed. These tests are highly accurate in detecting substance use histories, eliminating doubts about reliability. With fast processing times, they ensure prompt receipt of clear results, enhancing confidence in drug-free workplace environments.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Bowmanstown, PA

For Bowmanstown employers, hair follicle testing ensures adherence to drug-free workplace standards, reducing legal risks and boosting safety. By choosing this method, companies maintain compliance effortlessly, fostering a safer, more efficient work environment while providing peace of mind to all stakeholders.

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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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