Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Oxford, PA

What it is, How it works

The use of hair testing has emerged as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. With its ability to capture biomarkers within the strands as hair grows, it serves as a long-term record of substance use. When hair is gathered near the scalp, it holds the potential to reveal a drug or alcohol history dating back as far as three months. Collection of hair is straightforward, tough to tamper with, and convenient for shipping.

A segment of hair measuring 1.5 inches and consisting of around 200 strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) should provide approximately 100mg, which is considered the optimal amount for screening and verification. To test EtG, additional substances, or more extensive panel tests above ten, 150mg of the sample is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for weighing is recommended. If no scalp hair is present, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. When mentioned, head hair is specific to the scalp, while body hair includes all other types, such as facial or axillary.

Process Overview

Key stages in processing a lab drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning commences the sample’s integration into the laboratory’s framework. This stage ensures the sample's integrity in terms of sealing and shipment, assigns an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and handles any remaining data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers a preliminary assessment for potential drug abuse. It stands as an economical tool for excluding drug use in most cases; however, any positive findings in Screening must be confirmed for legal validity. Samples with presumptive positive results necessitate secondary confirmation.

For samples yielding potentially positive results in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and proceeds to Extraction. This step is marked by a more precise extraction of drugs from hair compared to other test types (e.g., urine or oral fluids), highlighting the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation of any preliminary positive results is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Should the situation warrant, all potentially positive samples are cleaned before confirmation. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation complies with the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and adheres to the ISO/IEC 17025 credentialing standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests reveal drug usage for up to three months, surpassing the shorter window of urine tests.
• Cheat-proof: Manipulating a hair drug test is remarkably hard, enhancing the result accuracy.
• Tracks past use: It offers an overview of drug consumption over time rather than spotting only recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent usage: Drugs become traceable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expensive: Hair tests tend to be pricier than other drug detection approaches.
• Result disparities: Differences in hair color and individual growth rates can influence metabolite concentrations.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is misleading since the test evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Oxford, PA, proves superior to urine tests due to its enhanced accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair tests offer a longer detection period, capturing substance use effectively. Hair sampling prevents evasion attempts, while guaranteeing precise results. Employers benefit from the robust evidence these tests provide, ensuring a drug-free workplace.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Oxford, PA, offers an extensive detection window, up to 90 days, far surpassing the brief period urine tests cover. This broad range provides a comprehensive understanding of an individual's substance use history, invaluable for employers. It enables thorough evaluations, impacting hiring and ongoing employment decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Oxford, PA, significantly reduce the chance of tampering. Each sample is collected in a secure, monitored manner, safeguarding the integrity of the results. This method ensures genuine, unaltered samples, alleviating concerns over deceit. Employers can trust the findings, confident in their accuracy and reliability.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Oxford, PA, our testing centers offer nationwide convenience for hair follicle testing. The strategic locations ensure easy, accessible services, minimizing the hassle for individuals and companies. With local and widespread presence, getting tested is straightforward, saving time and simplifying the testing process.

Simple, Confidential Process

Oxford, PA, offers a simple, confidential process for hair follicle testing, addressing privacy and ease-of-use concerns. Ordering, participating in, and receiving results is streamlined, ensuring discretion and user-friendliness every step of the way. Individuals can trust the process to be secure and straightforward.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing and fast results in Oxford, PA, underscore our commitment to providing value through hair follicle testing. Our affordable rates and rapid turnaround ensure organizations of any size receive excellent service without budgetary strain, enhancing their operational efficiency and safety protocols.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Oxford, PA, the speed and precision of hair follicle drug testing stand unmatched. With quick sample collection and testing procedures, results are generated rapidly. Hair tests boast high accuracy in identifying substance use, ensuring reliable outcomes. Their thorough nature provides definitive insights into an individual's drug history, aiding informed decision-making.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Oxford, PA, gain peace of mind and compliance through hair follicle testing. This method strengthens adherence to drug-free policies, mitigating legal risks and promoting workplace safety. By choosing hair testing, organizations demonstrate commitment to safety and legal standards, fostering a secure environment for all employees.

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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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