Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mccandless Township, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as a potent means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers a prolonged account of alcohol and drug use by encapsulating biomarkers within the hair strand as it grows. When taken from near the scalp, hair can reveal a monitoring period of up to three months for both alcohol and drugs. Its collection is straightforward, tampering is moderately tricky, and its shipment is undemanding.

A sample size of 1.5 inches with around 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the ideal quantity for initial testing and verification. For EtG supplements and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advocated. It's advised to use a jeweler’s scale for measuring the sample. If no scalp hair is available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be utilized. Our reference to head hair implies scalp hair exclusively. In contrast, body hair denotes all other hair categories (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Procedure Synopsis

The laboratory process for determining a drug test outcome includes four main phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, a sample is initially processed into the laboratory’s system, confirming the sample's seal and appropriate shipment, allocating a randomized LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry that the electronic chain of custody system has yet to cover.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid evaluation for drugs of misuse. While a cost-efficient method, Screening can't serve as court evidence unless a positive result undergoes confirmation. Any samples identified as presumptively positive in Screening require an additional confirmation.

Should a specimen be identified as presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction, where the drugs are extracted at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), hence hair drug screening emerges as the most challenging procedure to execute.

Positive results from Screening undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples receive a wash before any necessary confirmation. The complete laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection time frame: Hair drug tests identify drug use spanning up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests, which have a shorter detection period.
• Cheating resistance: Due to the difficulty in cheating, hair drug test results hold higher accuracy.
• Reveals usage patterns: It uncovers drug use patterns over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to identify recent consumption: Drugs become identifiable in hair roughly 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug testing typically incurs higher costs than other drug testing techniques.
• Result discrepancies: Elements such as hair hue and personal variations in hair growth may alter the drug metabolite levels within the hair.

Important: Despite being commonly called "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis occurs on the hair strand not the scalp's follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Outshines Urine Testing in McCandless Township, PA A significant advantage of hair testing over urine tests is its ability to identify drug use accurately over an extended timeframe, up to 90 days. This longer detection period provides a comprehensive insight into the subject's substance history, ensuring superior accuracy compared to traditional urine methods.

The reliability of hair follicle tests also surpasses that of urine tests. With urine samples, there is often the potential for tampering or contamination which compromises the accuracy of the results. Hair tests are not only tamper-resistant but also offer a more reliable detection rate.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in McCandless Township, PA Hair follicle testing offers a remarkable advantage with its ability to review drug usage over a period of up to 90 days. This extended detection window allows employers to obtain a holistic and thorough insight into an individual's substance use over a more extended timeframe, enhancing decision-making concerning hiring and workplace safety.

Through this method, employers are assured a detailed examination of a potential or existing employee’s drug use history, helping ensure that workplace environments remain safe and drug-free.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Robust Tamper-Resistant Testing Hair follicle tests, conducted in McCandless Township, PA, significantly curb the risk of sample adulteration. This testing method ensures reliability and integrity in results as it’s challenging to forge or tamper with compared to other testing options like urine samples, which can be subject to dilution or substitution.

The inherent robustness of hair testing provides a trustworthy assessment of an individual’s drug consumption, bolstering the confidence of employers, legal entities, and other stakeholders in the test outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Testing Solutions in McCandless Township, PA Our network of testing centers spans nationwide, including convenient local locations, which ensures quick access to our services. Regardless of your location, you are assured of receiving prompt and professional testing services, making hair follicle drug testing as convenient as it is essential.

Our extensive reach eliminates logistical challenges, providing a hassle-free experience for employers and individuals requiring dependable drug testing facilities conveniently located.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple and Confidential Process in McCandless Township, PA The procedural ease of ordering, completing, and receiving results from hair follicle tests addresses privacy and confidentiality concerns effectively.

• The process is straightforward and discreet, assuring users that their results, as well as personal information, remain secure throughout.

Such simplicity and confidentiality underline our commitment to protecting the interests and privacy of those utilizing our testing services.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing with Swift Turnaround Our pricing structure in McCandless Township, PA, offers excellent value to companies of all sizes, maintaining affordability without compromising quality. Coupled with quick turnaround times, our services are tailored to meet the budgets and timelines of our diverse clientele, reinforcing peace of mind in acquiring accurate test results.

Our competitive rates ensure access to elite testing services without excessive financial burden, optimizing workplace compliance and efficiency.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and rapidity of hair follicle drug tests make them an excellent choice in McCandless Township, PA. These tests provide fast results, giving employers and individuals the dependable information they need to make critical decisions about drug use and safety in the workplace or personal life.

Accuracy in detecting substance use through hair testing is unmatched. By analyzing samples from the scalp, the tests help identify various types of drug consumption, offering swift results that are both precise and reliable.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Employer Assurance in McCandless Township, PA Hair follicle testing plays a crucial role in maintaining compliance with drug-free workplace policies. It minimizes legal risks associated with failed drug testing protocols and fortifies workplace safety. This enables employers to have peace of mind, knowing their hiring and safety standards are upheld through reliable testing methods.

For employers who enforce zero-tolerance policies, integrating hair testing into their protocols affirms their commitment to maintaining a safe and compliant work 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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