Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Harwick, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is regarded as a robust mechanism for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. This method offers a history of substance use over an extended period by capturing biomarkers within the hair strand as it grows. When collected near the scalp, it offers an approximate 3-month span for detecting substances like alcohol. Hair collection is straightforward, resistant to tampering, and easy to send.

A segment of 1.5 inches of around 200 hairs (approximately the size of a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg, the optimal amount for testing. For tests like EtG, extras, or more than 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. It is suggested to weigh the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn’t available, a similar quantity of body hair may be used. "Head hair" pertains only to scalp hair, while "body hair" includes all other forms (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The drug testing involves four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial entry of a sample into a lab’s system, ensuring it was sealed and sent correctly, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and conducting any extra data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening is a preliminary check for drug use. While it’s a cost-efficient way to assess most samples, a positive result requires confirmation for legal acceptability. Any samples preliminarily positive in Screening necessitate further verification.

If the Screening phase suggests positivity, further hair is extracted from the initial sample for Extraction. Here, drugs are separated from hair at much lower levels than other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making this the most challenging method to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive finding from screening is done through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Samples that show presumptive positivity are washed pre-confirmation as warranted. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Can identify drug use up to 90 days, contrasting with urine tests with shorter detection spans.
• Hard to circumvent: It's challenging to deceive a hair drug test, enhancing the reliability of results.
• Reveals historical usage: It offers insight into a pattern of drug use over time, not limited to recent activity.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs are detectable in hair roughly 5-7 days post-consumption.
• Expense: Hair drug testing tends to be pricier than alternative methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can impact drug metabolite levels in the hair.

Note: Despite being termed "hair follicle tests", this method examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Harwick, PA, hair follicle tests surpass traditional urine tests by providing superior accuracy and detection reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair analysis unveils comprehensive substance use patterns over a significant period, offering enhanced precision. Organizations benefit from this method for its ability to identify long-term drug use with greater confidence, ensuring better-informed decisions.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Harwick, PA, offers an extended detection window for tracking drug use, up to 90 days. This allows employers to gain a thorough understanding of an individual's substance history, providing a broader perspective than other testing methods. Such extended timelines help in assessing long-term patterns, ensuring a more rigorous evaluation of candidates and employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Harwick, PA, significantly minimize the chances of sample tampering, providing dependable and indisputable results. The method's inherent resistance to adulteration protects the integrity of the testing process. Employing such a secure technique assures that the results are authentic and unaltered, which is critical for maintaining trust in drug testing procedures.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides convenient nationwide locations, including Harwick, PA, facilitating easy access to hair follicle testing services. The wide network of centers ensures that testing is quick and hassle-free, catering to the needs of both local and wider communities. This extensive reach supports efficient and accessible testing solutions for everyone.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Harwick, PA, the process for hair follicle testing is straightforward and confidential. From ordering to taking the test and obtaining results, each step is designed to respect privacy and ease of use, addressing any concerns seamlessly. Clients can trust the process, knowing their information and results remain secure throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and fast turnaround times, Accredited Drug Testing in Harwick, PA, ensures excellent value for businesses of all sizes. The affordability paired with quick results provides companies peace of mind, without compromising on the quality of service or the accuracy of results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Harwick, PA, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their precision and speed in delivering results. They offer high accuracy, capturing substance use effectively, making them a reliable choice for various organizations requiring prompt outcomes. Hair tests efficiently identify drug use, ensuring decisions are based on accurate, quick insights, benefiting both individual and organizational needs.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring compliance with workplace drug-free policies is crucial for employers in Harwick, PA. Hair follicle testing supports this by mitigating legal risks and enhancing the overall safety of the workplace. By adopting this method, organizations can foster an environment of trust and security, strengthening adherence to both legal standards and company rules.

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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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