Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Shenandoah Heights, PA

What it is, How it works

The recognition of hair testing has grown due to its effectiveness in identifying drug and alcohol use. By encapsulating biomarkers within the strands, hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and drug consumption. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal usage up to an approximately 3-month timeframe for alcohol and other substances. Collecting hair is straightforward, difficult to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) taken nearest to the scalp contains 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, an amount of 150mg is advisable. It’s suggested to weigh the hair sample with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equal volume of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair alone. Body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory evaluation of a drug test encompasses four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the stage where a sample is initially recorded into a lab’s system. This step involves ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing additional data input that isn't already included in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary check for substance abuse. While Screening is an economical method to negate drug consumption in the majority of cases, a positive screen requires confirmation to be valid in legal proceedings. Samples indicating a presumptive positive in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

When a sample shows a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are isolated from hair at a considerably lower concentration than in other testing methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive Screening outcome is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All samples indicating presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation if needed. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and is accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a more limited detection span.
• Difficult to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, enhancing the reliability of its results.
• Historical usage data: It can depict a pattern of drug consumption over time rather than just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of identifying recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days after consumption.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests are costlier compared to other drug-testing techniques.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Despite often being termed "hair follicle tests", the test itself assesses the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Shenandoah Heights, PA, hair follicle tests surpass urine tests in effectiveness. Hair testing allows for extended detection of drug use patterns, offering a broader understanding of an individual's history. Unlike urine samples, which only show recent usage, hair tests provide insights spanning up to 90 days, making them a more comprehensive and reliable choice for employers and institutions.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Shenandoah Heights, PA, offers an extended detection window, uncovering drug use for up to 90 days. This comprehensive longitudinal view is vital for employers seeking insights into an employee’s substance use history, offering a more complete picture compared to shorter-duration tests like urine sampling.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Shenandoah Heights, PA, hair follicle testing dramatically minimizes sample tampering risks. This testing method is almost tamper-proof, ensuring more reliable outcomes. The difficulty of altering hair samples compared to urine samples gives testers more confidence in the accuracy and trustworthiness of the results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing boasts convenient testing centers across the nation, including in Shenandoah Heights, PA. Accessible nationwide locations ensure that individuals and companies can quickly and easily undergo testing. This accessibility simplifies logistics and provides hassle-free access to necessary services.

Simple, Confidential Process

Engaging in hair follicle testing in Shenandoah Heights, PA, entails a straightforward, confidential process. From ordering to receiving results, the procedure is designed with privacy and simplicity in mind. Clients can comfortably navigate each step, assured of discreet handling of their tests and results.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Shenandoah Heights, PA, benefits from Accredited Drug Testing's competitive pricing and swift turnaround. Our fast, cost-effective services bolster value while granting companies rapid results. This approach ensures businesses of all sizes have peace of mind without straining budgets, owing to our efficient pricing model.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and swiftness of hair follicle drug testing in Shenandoah Heights, PA, make it stand out. This method not only ensures fast turnaround times but also significantly enhances accuracy. By efficiently detecting substance use, employers and concerned parties can rely on its high reliability and speedy results for informed decision-making.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring compliance with drug-free policies is paramount for employers in Shenandoah Heights, PA. Hair follicle testing not only fortifies legal compliance but also enhances workplace safety. By choosing this method, employers mitigate legal risks, fostering a safer and more trustworthy 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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