Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Summit Hill, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a vital instrument for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. It offers an extended historical record of substance use by encapsulating biomarkers within the fibers of an extending hair strand. When obtained near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a three-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch hair sample consisting of roughly 200 strands, similar to a #2 pencil's thickness, will provide 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional testing, and/or analysis beyond 10 panels, a weight of 150mg is advised. It is suggested to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be gathered. When mentioning head hair, it solely refers to scalp hair. Body hair denotes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test result encompass Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial handling of a sample into a lab's system. This process includes ensuring that the sample was sealed and sent correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not included by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening serves as an economical method to dismiss drug use for most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be valid in court. Any samples that are potentially positive in Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.

Should a sample test positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen and readied for Extraction. In this stage, drugs are isolated from hair at concentrations lower than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug analysis the most challenging to perform.

Confirmation of any positive Screening result is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumed positive samples are cleaned before confirmation if needed. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is inspected under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which cover a shorter timeframe.
• Challenge to manipulate: It's notably hard to deceive a hair drug test, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It reveals a pattern of drug use over time, rather than just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Approximately 5-7 days are needed for drugs to show up in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be more costly than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Though often called "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When it comes to drug testing needs in Summit Hill, PA, hair follicle testing offers superior advantages over the traditional urine test. With its extended detection capabilities, hair testing provides enhanced accuracy and reliability. This method ensures employers get a clearer picture of an individual's drug history, rendering it invaluable for stringent workplace policies and court requirements.

Extended Detection Window

The hair follicle testing method in Summit Hill, PA, provides an extended detection window of up to 90 days. Through this comprehensive timeframe, employers can gain a thorough understanding of an employee’s or applicant's past substance use. Such insight is critical in assessing an individual's long-term behaviors and ensuring the integrity and safety of organizational environments.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Summit Hill, PA, hair follicle testing is a tamper-resistant testing method that reduces sample manipulation risks. This reliability is vital for receiving unquestionable results, thereby maintaining the integrity of the testing process. For employers, this security provides a layer of confidence that traditional testing methods, often susceptible to cheating, cannot offer.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Summit Hill, PA, the convenience of our nationwide testing centers simplifies accessing drug testing services. With numerous locations available, individuals and employers benefit from a swift, uncomplicated, and hassle-free testing process. This accessibility ensures that testing needs are met efficiently, providing peace of mind to all involved.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our hair follicle testing process in Summit Hill, PA, is both simple and confidential. The process of ordering, conducting, and receiving results is streamlined, addressing privacy concerns effectively. Users can rest assured that their personal information remains protected throughout the testing process, making our service both user-friendly and secure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering affordable pricing and fast turnaround in Summit Hill, PA, our hair follicle testing ensures excellent value for organizations of all sizes. Competitive pricing models, combined with swift result availability, make this an attractive option for companies seeking both economic and quality benefits as they maintain adherence to workplace policies.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Summit Hill, PA, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their fast, accurate, and reliable results. This method pinpoints substance use with remarkable precision, ensuring that employers receive dependable data on potential employees. The process is efficient, offering quick insights into an individual's drug history, an essential factor in maintaining workplace integrity and safety.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employing hair follicle testing in Summit Hill, PA, facilitates compliance and peace of mind for employers. This method supports adherence to drug-free workplace policies, significantly reducing legal liabilities while enhancing safety protocols. Employers can rest assured that their workplaces adhere to regulations, promoting a secure and compliant 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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