Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Newmanstown, PA

What it is, How it works

The use of hair testing has emerged as an effective method for identifying alcohol and drug consumption. The hair retains biomarkers in its fibers, offering a comprehensive historical record of substance use as it grows. When collected directly from the scalp, hair provides a detection range of up to roughly three months for both alcohol and drugs. It is easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to send.

An ideal sample for analysis and confirmation consists of a 1.5-inch length of approximately 200 hair strands, equating to about the size of a #2 pencil, closest to the scalp. This yields 100mg of hair. For tests such as EtG, add-ons, or those exceeding 10 panels, a sample weighing 150mg is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler's scale is suggested for weighing the specimen. If scalp hair isn’t available, a comparable amount of body hair can be collected. Discussion of head hair is limited to scalp hair exclusively. Body hair encompasses all other types of hair (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The laboratory process for drug test results includes four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary phase where a sample is integrated into the laboratory's system. This step ensures that the sample’s seal and shipment were correctly executed, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any missing data entry not submitted via an electronic chain of custody.

Screening involves an initial quick check for the presence of addictive substances. While it's an affordable way to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive screening requires verification for legal admissibility. Presumptively positive samples in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

If a presumptive positive outcome arises during Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample for Extraction. This process involves removing drugs from the hair at much lower concentrations compared to methods like urine or oral fluid testing, underscoring hair drug screening's complexity.

Confirmation for any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS techniques. Before confirmation, all presumptive positives undergo washing as appropriate. The entire lab workflow from Accessioning through to Confirmation is evaluated adhering to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection range: Hair drug tests reveal drug use for a period of up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which present a shorter timeframe.
• Resistance to tampering: Cheating a hair drug test is challenging, ensuring greater result accuracy.
• Historical usage data: It reveals a timeline of drug use over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug testing tends to be pricier than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Variations in hair color and individual growth rates can influence the concentration of drug metabolites found in hair.

Note: While commonly called "hair follicle tests," the analysis examines the hair strand itself, rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Choose Hair Follicle Testing? In Newmanstown, PA, the advantages of hair tests over urine tests are clear. Hair follicle analysis offers superior accuracy due to its resistance to tampering and expansive detection window. While urine tests are commonplace, hair tests provide a deeper insight into an individual's substance use history, enhancing reliability for employers seeking meticulous screening methods.

Extended Detection Window

Beyond the Short-Term: Hair follicle testing in Newmanstown, PA, grants a comprehensive view of substance use, tracing drug consumption over a longer period—up to 90 days. This extended detection window surpasses other methods, allowing employers to uncover patterns of behavior that may otherwise remain hidden, ensuring a more holistic evaluation of candidates and employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

A Secure Testing Choice: Hair follicle tests in Newmanstown, PA, combat tampering effectively. The nature of hair analysis deters sample alteration and adulteration, delivering unquestionable results. This level of integrity enhances the dependability of the testing process, offering assurance to those who require consistent and trustworthy drug screening outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Nationwide Convenience: With testing centers spread across the country, Newmanstown, PA, included, accessing hair follicle test services is straightforward. Our extensive network ensures quick, hassle-free testing with locations readily accessible for individuals and employers, bolstering an efficient testing process that prioritizes ease and minimal disruption.

Simple, Confidential Process

Streamlined and Private: The hair follicle testing process in Newmanstown, PA, is structured to be simple yet confidential. From ordering to result delivery, every step is designed to respect privacy while maintaining ease of use. This seamless approach addresses privacy concerns, making it a preferred choice for those valuing discretion.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Value and Efficiency: Competitive pricing and swift turnaround times make hair follicle testing in Newmanstown, PA, an excellent option. Our service is priced to offer value while ensuring fast results, proving advantageous for businesses of all sizes, seeking both cost-effectiveness and time efficiency in their drug testing processes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Rapid and Precise Outcomes are a highlight of hair follicle drug testing in Newmanstown, PA. The accuracy of these tests in identifying substance use is unmatched, often pinpointing even minute traces that other methods miss. With an expedited processing timeline, you receive reliable results that aid in informed decision-making, ensuring a faster and dependable evaluation of candidates or employees.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring Workplace Safety: Hair follicle testing in Newmanstown, PA, supports compliance with drug-free workplace policies. By implementing this method, employers mitigate legal risks and foster a safe working environment. This approach provides peace of mind by ensuring adherence to industry standards and promoting health, safety, and productivity.

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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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