Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Kiskimere, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly acknowledged as a robust method for detecting alcohol and drug usage. Hair captures a historical record of substances by retaining biomarkers in the structure of the growing hair shaft. Collected near the scalp, hair can offer up to a 90-day detection period for drugs and alcohol. It is easy to collect, not easily adulterated, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch section consisting of roughly 200 hairs (comparable to a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or panels over 10, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. If scalp hair is absent, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. When discussing head hair, we mean only scalp hair. Body hair includes any other types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key steps in the lab processing of drug tests include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the first step for processing a sample into the lab’s system. It entails checking the sample’s sealed and secure shipment, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishing any required data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening offers an initial assessment for drug usage. While Screening serves as an economical way to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive screen demands confirmation for legal acceptability. Presumptive positives from Screening need a follow-up confirmation.

When a sample is presumably positive in Screening, more hair will be collected from the initial batch for Extraction. In this stage, drugs are removed from hair at significantly lower levels compared to other methods (like urine or saliva), making hair drug screening a more complex process.

Any positive screening must be verified through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Every sample exhibiting presumptive positivity undergoes a wash before confirmation as necessary. The overall lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes assessment under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can identify drug usage for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests with shorter windows.
• Challenging to manipulate: Manipulating a hair test is notably difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Historical insight: It offers a timeline of drug use rather than only capturing recent usage.

Limitations:

• Cannot indicate recent usage: Detection in hair takes around 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug testing is typically pricier than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Variations like hair color and individual hair growth can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although called "hair follicle tests", these tests analyze the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Kiskimere, PA, hair follicle testing offers numerous advantages over traditional urine tests. One key benefit is its superior detection accuracy, catching traces of drugs that other methods might miss. Additionally, hair tests offer reliable results, reducing instances of false positives and ensuring the integrity of drug use assessments. This advantage makes hair follicle tests a preferred choice for thorough screening.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Kiskimere, PA provides an extended detection window, identifying drug use over a significantly longer period, up to 90 days. This extensive timeline allows employers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of a potential hire's or current employee's history with substances, offering insights well beyond the limitations of short-term testing methods like urine tests.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Kiskimere, PA, hair follicle tests offer a tamper-resistant approach to drug screening. Unlike other methods susceptible to sample manipulation, hair specimens reduce the risk of adulteration, ensuring the results' authenticity. The integrity of the testing process is preserved, furnishing both employers and individuals with trustworthy and indisputable outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With numerous testing locations in Kiskimere, PA, the convenience of accessing hair follicle drug tests is unparalleled. Accredited Drug Testing's extensive network of nationwide centers ensures that individuals and employers can quickly access necessary testing services, eliminating the hassle often associated with finding reliable testing facilities.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Kiskimere, PA, the hair follicle testing process is simple and confidential. From ordering the test to collecting samples and receiving results, every step is designed to safeguard privacy and ease. This straightforward procedure addresses any privacy concerns while still providing accurate and reliable outcomes.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Kiskimere, PA provides excellent value. Accredited Drug Testing ensures affordable testing solutions, making it an economically viable option for businesses of all sizes looking to maintain a drug-free work environment with peace of mind.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Kiskimere, PA offer fast, accurate, and reliable results. This testing method boasts high precision in detecting substance use, providing peace of mind for both employers and individuals seeking drug-free verification. The speed with which results are delivered ensures that critical decisions can be made promptly, maintaining the standards of a drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Kiskimere, PA assists employers in adhering to drug-free workplace policies, contributing to a safer working environment. This method helps ensure compliance with legal and regulatory standards, minimizing litigation risks and fostering a culture of accountability and transparency within the company.

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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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