Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lansford, PA

What it is, How it works

The utilization of hair testing is now recognized as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended retrospective analysis of alcohol and drug use by ensnaring biomarkers in the growing hair's fibers. When extracted from near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a 90-day detection window for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and convenient for shipping.

A specimen of 1.5 inches consisting of about 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the perfect amount for screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest assessing the weight of the specimen with a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. Reference to head hair pertains specifically to scalp hair. Body hair includes any other forms of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning includes the preliminary processing of a sample into the lab’s framework. It involves verifying the sample's sealed condition and correct shipment, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and entering any necessary additional data not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening conducts an initial cursory assessment for illicit substances. While Screening provides a cost-effective strategy to rule out drug use in most specimens, a positive screen must be confirmed for judicial admissibility. Samples with a presumptive positive in Screening require additional confirmation.

Upon a sample returning a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample and readied for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at concentrations significantly lower than those in other approaches (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug testing the most complex methodology.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positive results are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation follows both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection: Hair drug tests provide drug use detection up to 90 days, surpassing urine tests that have a shorter time frame.
• Difficult to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is remarkably challenging, ensuring more reliable results.
• Offers historical insight: It reveals a timeline of drug use over extended periods, rather than just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Recent use undetectable: Drugs require approximately 5-7 days to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically pricier compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth variations can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Commonly known as "hair follicle tests", these tests evaluate the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing offers significant advantages over traditional urine tests in Lansford, PA. It exhibits superior detection accuracy, managing to provide more reliable and comprehensive detection of substance use. This method's efficacy in identifying long-term drug use positions it as a preferred choice for individuals and organizations seeking trustworthy results.

Extended Detection Window

In Lansford, PA, hair follicle testing is acknowledged for its extended detection window, identifying drug use for up to 90 days. This capacity allows employers to gain a thorough understanding of a person's substance history, making it a vital tool in their assessment of applicants or employees, ensuring informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

One of the standout features of hair follicle tests in Lansford, PA, is their tamper-resistant nature. The method significantly minimizes the potential for sample adulteration, providing results that are credible and free from manipulation, thus ensuring integrity and trustworthiness in drug testing protocols.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers the convenience of nationwide centers, including in Lansford, PA, providing quick, seamless access to our testing services. The vast network ensures that individuals and businesses can conveniently find local facilities, simplifying the entire process of obtaining crucial testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Lansford, PA, the process for hair follicle testing is both simple and confidential. From ordering to sample collection, and finally receiving results, the procedure prioritizes ease of use while safeguarding privacy. This streamlined approach addresses both usability and confidentiality, easing any concerns regarding personal data.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Lansford, PA, emphasizes affordable pricing alongside rapid turnaround times. These advantages offer great value to companies, regardless of size, ensuring they receive dependable and quick testing services without straining their budgets, fostering economic efficiency and reliability.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug testing offers fast, accurate, and reliable results in Lansford, PA. The precision involved in detecting substance use through this method is unparalleled. Results are swift and unerringly precise, ensuring that individuals or employers receive detailed, actionable information without unnecessary delays, fostering a high level of trust in the process.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Lansford, PA, gain substantial peace of mind through hair follicle testing's compliance with drug-free workplace policies. By reducing legal risks and enhancing workplace safety, businesses can foster an environment of trust and reliability, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining stringent drug-free standards.

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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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