Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Cashtown, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. By imbedding biomarkers within the fibers of the hair shaft as it grows, hair provides a long-term record of drug and alcohol use. When hair is gathered close to the scalp, it can reveal drug and alcohol use history for up to about three months. The collection process for hair is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and easy to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches and comprising around 200 hair strands (approximating the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal specimen for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional, or tests beyond 10 panels, a specimen weight of 150mg is advised. It is advisable to measure the specimen using a jeweler's scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair may be collected. When we mention head hair, we refer solely to scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other hair types (such as facial and axillary hair).

Process Overview

Drug testing in a laboratory setting involves four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory system. This stage ensures that the sample was closed securely and shipped correctly, assigns it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any necessary data entry that is not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as a preliminary sweep for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method for ruling out drug usage in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to be acceptable in legal settings. Samples presumed positive during Screening necessitate secondary verification.

If a sample displays a presumptive positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for the Extraction process. Drugs are sourced from hair at much lower concentrations during this step compared to other methods like urine or oral fluid testing, which accounts for the complexity of performing hair drug screening.

Confirmation of any presumptive positive result in screening is achieved via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All samples showing presumptive positivity are washed before confirmation if needed. The complete laboratory sequence from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation based on ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify drug usage spanning up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter detection window.
• Challenging to manipulate: Cheating on a hair drug test is exceptionally difficult, resulting in more reliable outcomes.
• Historical usage data: Provides a pattern of drug use over a timeline, not just immediate use.

Limitations:

• Does not detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after around 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to cost more compared to other drug testing methods.
• Variability in results: Factors like hair color and personal hair growth differences can sway the results of drug metabolites detected in hair.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is commonly used, but the test evaluates the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Cashtown, PA, recognizes the superiority of hair follicle testing over urine tests. With greater detection accuracy, these tests illuminate substance use histories more reliably.

Hair testing offers an enhanced detection capability, especially valuable in Cashtown's strict evaluation environments, where traditional urine tests might fall short.

Extended Detection Window

In Cashtown, PA, hair follicle tests provide an extensive detection window, tracing drug use up to 90 days prior. This offers employers a comprehensive view of an individual’s substance history.

Extended detection windows for hair tests give Cashtown employers a detailed overview, critical for informed hiring decisions based on long-term substance use.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Cashtown, PA, reduces the risk of sample adulteration significantly, ensuring results remain tamper-resistant and reliable.

Cashtown’s preference for hair tests stems from their tamper-proof nature, providing security against potential manipulation commonly associated with other testing methods.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With numerous nationwide centers, including those in Cashtown, PA, our testing locations offer convenient accessibility, streamlining the drug testing process.

Cashtown residents find ease with accessible local and national testing facilities, ensuring swift and hassle-free access to necessary drug testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Cashtown, PA, our drug testing process remains simple and confidential, providing ease of access while safeguarding user privacy.

Simplicity and confidentiality define our testing approach in Cashtown, ensuring individuals can conduct tests without concern for privacy breaches or procedural complexity.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Cashtown, PA, benefits from our competitive pricing and fast turnaround for drug testing, providing excellent value to companies of diverse sizes.

Affordable pricing combined with rapid result delivery makes our Cashtown hair testing services a cost-effective solution for businesses prioritizing budget and timeliness.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Cashtown, PA, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for delivering fast, accurate, and reliable results. Their precision in detecting substances surpasses traditional methods, offering peace of mind with every test.

Emphasizing high accuracy, hair tests in Cashtown ensure that substance detection is both quick and thorough, making them a preferred choice for those in need of dependability.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Cashtown, PA, benefit from hair follicle testing as it ensures compliance with drug-free policies, enhancing safety and reducing legal risks.

By adopting hair tests, Cashtown employers secure peace of mind through adherence to workplace safety standards, crucial for maintaining a compliant and safe work environment.

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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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