Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bradford Hills, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly viewed as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended history of substance use by encasing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair strand as it grows. When extracted near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use over a span of about three months. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of roughly 200 strands of hair (similar in size to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, optimal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or screenings exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We suggest measuring the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair. Body hair denotes all other hair types (e.g., facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning involves the initial intake of a sample into a lab's system. This step includes verifying the sample was correctly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any missing data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves an initial swift assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient way to exclude drug presence in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be legally valid. Samples that appear positive during Screening necessitate further confirmation.

If a sample exhibits a presumptive positive in the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for Extraction preparation. In this phase, drugs are retrieved from hair at a much lower concentration than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcomes is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can discover drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter timeframe.
• Hard to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is very difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical data: It provides a record of drug use over time, not just recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: Drugs require about 5-7 days to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically pricier than alternative testing methods.
• Result variations: Elements such as hair color and individual hair growth discrepancies can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although frequently termed “hair follicle tests,” the test analyzes the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Near Bradford Hills, PA, hair follicle testing surpasses urine tests in several ways. Hair tests are known for their superior detection accuracy and reliability, offering a clearer picture.

Compared to traditional urine tests, hair testing captures a longer history of substance use, aiding authorities and employers in making more reliable evaluations.

Extended Detection Window

Bradford Hills, PA, holds hair follicle testing in high regard due to its extended detection window, capturing drug use history up to 90 days. This offers employers a thorough perspective of an individual's substance history.

Such comprehensive insights are essential for employers seeking detailed reports on potential hires or current employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Bradford Hills, PA, hair follicle tests offer a robust defense against tampering. This method significantly reduces the possibility of altering results, delivering unquestionable outcomes.

Employers benefit from the reliable data obtained, ensuring confidence in the integrity of the testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Bradford Hills, PA, our widespread testing centers provide convenience with their quick and reliable access, ensuring hassle-free service for all.

The availability of nationwide locations aligns with the needs of individuals seeking a testing facility that fits their schedule with ease.

Simple, Confidential Process

Bradford Hills, PA, offers a straightforward and confidential process for undertaking hair follicle tests, ensuring privacy from ordering to receiving results.

The simplicity of the process alleviates any concern over complexities, making it user-friendly and confidential.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitively priced and offering swift results, our services in Bradford Hills, PA, provide excellent value for companies both big and small.

Efficient turnaround times complement our affordable pricing, making it an attractive solution for businesses seeking fast results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bradford Hills, PA, the precision and rapidity of hair follicle testing are unmatched. These tests offer high accuracy in identifying substance use, significantly reducing errors in results.

Employers and authorities benefit from the swift processes involved in hair testing, ensuring that decisions based on these results are both informed and timely.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Using hair follicle tests in Bradford Hills, PA, ensures that employers comply with drug-free workplace policies, reducing legal risks.

These tests address various safety concerns, enhancing the work environment by confirming compliance with zero-tolerance policies.

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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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