Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Drifton, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective method for identifying substance use. Hair retains drug and alcohol indicators trapped in its strands over time. When taken from near the scalp, hair reveals drug and alcohol use for about a 3-month period. It is straightforward to gather, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch section with around 200 hair strands (approximately the girth of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp produces 100mg, the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is recommended. If head hair is lacking, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. "Head hair" specifically denotes scalp hair, whereas "body hair" encompasses other types (e.g., facial, underarm).

Process Overview

The primary stages in processing drug test results at a laboratory are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step where a sample is entered into the lab's system. This step ensures the sample's seal and shipment were intact, assigns it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes extra data entry as necessary without an electronic chain of custody.

Screening is a preliminary check for substance abuse. Though cost-efficient for eliminating drug use in most samples, a positive screen needs confirmation before being valid in legal settings. Any results tentatively positive at Screening will need a further confirmation.

When Screening suggests a positive result, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. Drugs are separated from hair in smaller concentrations than with other methods (e.g., urine or saliva), which is why hair drug testing is complex to execute.

Confirmed positive screenings are analyzed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples presumed positive undergo washing prior to confirmation as needed. The lab procedures from Accessioning through Confirmation align with both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Prolonged detection range: Hair tests trace drug use for up to 90 days, versus the shorter range of urine tests.
• Hard to falsify: Hair drug tests are difficult to deceive, enhancing the reliability of results.
• Surveys past patterns: It measures drug use over time, extending beyond immediate use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: Drugs appear in hair roughly 5-7 days post-consumption.
• Price: Hair drug assessments tend to be pricier than other testing techniques.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and growth rate can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although often dubbed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on hair strands, not the follicles beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle tests in Drifton, PA, often outperform urine testing. They offer superior detection accuracy and reliability over longer periods. Unlike urine tests, hair testing provides a clearer picture of substance use history, crucial for employers and agencies enforcing strict substance policies.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle tests in Drifton, PA, provide a detection window of up to 90 days. This extended time allows employers to gain insight into an individual's long-term substance use, making it an invaluable tool for assessing reliability and compliance with organizational standards.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Drifton, PA, is less susceptible to tampering than urine tests. Its methodology minimizes the risk of sample adulteration, offering dependable results that can't be easily manipulated, thus ensuring integrity in drug testing processes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Drifton, PA, benefits from our extensive network of testing centers, ensuring fast and accessible hair follicle testing nationwide. This convenience allows individuals and employers to efficiently access required services with minimal hassle.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Drifton, PA, is straightforward and confidential. Ordering tests, collecting samples, and viewing results are designed to protect privacy while being easy to navigate, addressing common concerns about procedure complexity.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Drifton, PA, we offer competitive pricing and rapid turnaround for hair follicle tests. This combination provides exceptional value, especially for companies needing significant testing, while maintaining peace of mind through fast and reliable service delivery.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Drifton, PA, hair follicle testing stands out for its speed and precision. These tests offer high accuracy, detecting substance use that remains in the system long after it would in urine. This reliability makes it a preferred choice for employers who need fast and trustworthy results to make informed decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Using hair follicle testing in Drifton, PA, aids employers in adhering to drug-free workplace policies. This approach bolsters compliance, mitigates legal risks, and enhances workplace safety, thereby fostering a more secure and productive 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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