Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Eyers Grove, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective means for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a lengthy record of alcohol and drug usage by embedding biomarkers within its growing strands. When collected near the scalp, hair offers a detection span of nearly 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, less susceptible to tampering, and simple to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches, comprising about 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp, yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is recommended. If scalp hair is unavailable, equivalent body hair may be collected. Head hair strictly refers to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning is the initial processing phase of integrating a sample into a lab’s system. Steps include verifying that samples are sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a preliminary assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is cost-efficient for negating drug presence in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be court-admissible. All samples that are presumptively positive during Screening demand an additional confirmation.

If the Screening stage indicates presumptive positivity, further hair is removed from the primary sample for Extraction preparation. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at concentrations lower than those in other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), positioning hair drug screening as the methodology with the utmost complexity.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome utilizes GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Required presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation. The chain from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long-lasting detection: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage up to 90 days, unlike the shorter spans of urine tests.
• Cheating deterrence: Its resistance to cheating enhances result accuracy.
• Tracks historical usage: It unveils a drug use pattern over time, rather than isolated recent usage.

Limitations:

• Recent use undetectable: Drug presence in hair surfaces approximately 5-7 days post-use.
• Higher costs: Hair drug testing tends to be pricier than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Drug metabolite concentration variations can occur, based on factors like hair color and individual growth differences.

Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Choose hair follicle testing in Eyers Grove, PA over urine testing for its superior detection and accuracy. Hair tests provide insights into long-term substance use, offering a distinct advantage over urine tests, which cover a shorter time frame.

Unlike urine tests, hair tests are less susceptible to tampering and offer a more consistent detection rate. This reliability makes them ideal for workplaces with stringent no-drug policies.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Eyers Grove, PA offers an extended detection window, identifying drug use over up to 90 days. This comprehensive span provides employers a fuller view of substance use history, essential for making informed hiring choices.

With its lengthy detection period, hair testing allows for a wider occupational safety scope, ensuring long-term employee sobriety and compliance with drug-free policies.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Eyers Grove, PA are tamper-resistant, ensuring the integrity of test results. This resistance significantly lowers the chances of adulteration, setting hair tests apart as a reliable drug screening method.

Avoiding the pitfalls of tampering, hair tests maintain consistent and trustworthy outcomes, providing peace of mind to employers needing unquestionable results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing in Eyers Grove, PA delivers convenient and accessible testing options. With numerous nationwide testing locations, individuals and organizations enjoy the benefit of easy and prompt access to our services.

Our local and nationwide centers ensure a seamless testing process, minimizing inconveniences while providing top-notch testing support in every city.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Eyers Grove, PA, our hair follicle testing process is both simple and confidential. From ordering to result receipt, every step is streamlined to prioritize privacy and ease for the user.

The confidentiality of our procedures secures the privacy of individuals, making our services a trustworthy choice for those concerned about discretion in drug testing.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Eyers Grove, PA offers affordable pricing for hair follicle tests, ensuring competitive value without sacrificing quality. Our fast turnaround keeps businesses moving efficiently.

With budget-friendly options and speed, organizations of all sizes can rely on our services for cost-effective testing solutions, maintaining operational fluidity.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Eyers Grove, PA, hair follicle drug tests ensure swift and precise results. These tests offer accurate detection of substance use, making them an ideal choice for those seeking reliability in drug testing.

The accuracy of hair testing lies in its advanced detection capabilities, ensuring employers and professionals receive verifiable results quickly, without compromising integrity or thoroughness.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in Eyers Grove, PA provides peace of mind for employers. By ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies, it reduces legal risks and enhances safety measures in professional environments.

For businesses committed to maintaining a drug-free atmosphere, hair follicle testing offers an efficient solution, bolstering policy adherence and mitigating potential liabilities.

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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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