Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Tower City, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now viewed as a robust means for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a chronological archive of alcohol and drug exposure by embedding biomarkers within the hair strand's fibers as it grows. A sample taken near the scalp can offer up to an approximately 3-month window for detecting alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, relatively tough to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, an optimal sample for evaluation and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels beyond 10, 150mg of the specimen is preferred. It's advised to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn’t an option, an equivalent volume of body hair is acceptable. When we mention head hair, we exclusively mean scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other types (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary phases of processing a drug test result in a lab are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary handling of a sample in a lab's system. This incorporates ensuring the sample's seal and proper shipment, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening conducts an initial swift assessment for drug abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive screen calls for verification to be valid in court. Samples showing potential positives in Screening necessitate secondary confirmation.

If Screening suggests a sample is positive, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and readied for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are retrieved from hair at a notably lower concentration than other techniques (like urine or oral fluid), which renders hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples suspected to be positive are washed preceding confirmation as required. The laboratory workflow, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and the certification to ISO / IEC 17025 guidelines.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection duration: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage for a span of up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which are constrained to a shorter timeframe.
• Hard to falsify: A hair drug test is considerably challenging to tamper with, enhancing result accuracy.
• Shows usage history: It can outline drug consumption trends over time, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: Detectability of drugs in hair takes around 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs compared to other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth differences can impact drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Often called "hair follicle tests", this test actually examines the hair strand rather than the follicle underneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why do Tower City, PA residents choose hair follicle testing over urine tests? The superior detection rate and accuracy of hair tests reveal drug use over longer periods, unlike the narrow scope of urine screens. Hair tests provide robust evidence that withstands scrutiny, offering users confidence in results. Their capability to trace compounds far outweighs the limitations faced by standard tests. Employers and legal bodies strive for such precision.

Extended Detection Window

In Tower City, PA, hair follicle testing uniquely captures drug use over an extended window of up to 90 days. This long-term detection allows employers a detailed insight into an individual’s substance history. Unlike short-term urine tests, hair testing uncovers hidden patterns that are otherwise missed. This extended window ensures a thorough assessment of anyone’s compliance and lifestyle.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Tower City, PA, offer a highly tamper-resistant approach to drug testing. Their design virtually eliminates the possibility of sample adulteration, providing users with credible, unquestionable results. Trust in the process is paramount, ensuring results stand up to any challenges. Critics agree on their reliability, quelling typical concerns of tampering associated with other test types.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Tower City, PA residents benefit from our convenient nationwide locations. With centers strategically placed across the country, accessing testing services becomes seamless and hassle-free. The ease of rapid, reliable results empowers communities, ensuring everyone from locals to travelers finds testing readily available whenever and wherever needed. This commitment to accessibility enhances user experience.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Tower City, PA, we offer a simple and confidential testing process to address privacy concerns. Ordering, providing samples, and receiving results is designed to protect user confidentiality while being easy to navigate. Understanding and confidence in the process come naturally, reassuring participants of their personal information safety and ensuring expectations of privacy are consistently upheld.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our Tower City, PA facilities pride themselves on affordable pricing and prompt result turnaround. Catering to businesses of all sizes, our services deliver value without compromising standards. We understand the urgency and budgetary constraints you face, striving to meet them with streamlined efficiency and cost-effective solutions. You can expect excellent results, quickly and on-budget.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Tower City, PA, hair follicle testing stands out for its speed and accuracy in pinpointing substance use. The precision of hair testing surpasses traditional methods, ensuring that results are both fast and reliable. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, potential substance use is detectable with an unrivaled level of certainty.
Reliability is a hallmark of this method, making it the preferred choice for many.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Tower City, PA, find peace of mind utilizing hair follicle testing for compliance with workplace drug-free policies. By minimizing legal exposure and boosting safety, these tests bolster employer confidence. Moving beyond mere detection, they contribute to a harmonious and secure environment, free from the uncertainties that threaten operational efficiency and the workplace atmosphere.

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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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