Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Village Shires, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. The hair captures long-term evidence of substances by incorporating biomarkers as the hair strand grows. When gathered close to the scalp, hair offers an approximate 3-month window for detecting drugs and alcohol. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easily transported.

A 1.5-inch section containing around 200 hair strands (equivalent to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp results in 100mg of hair, the preferred sample size for analysis and verification. For tests like EtG, add-ons, and/or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg sample is advisable. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is recommended. In cases where scalp hair is unobtainable, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. Referring to head hair pertains specifically to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the sample’s initial integration into a laboratory’s framework. This step ensures the sample’s secure transport, generates a specific LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any necessary data input absent from an electronic chain of custody.

Screening conducts a preliminary assessment for substance misuse. Although Screening provides an affordable means to negate drug usage in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation for legal viability. Samples yielding a presumptive positive must undergo a secondary verification.

Should a sample test positive during Screening, an additional hair portion is drawn from the original and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, hair drugs are extracted at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), underscoring the complexity of hair drug screening.

Positive results from Screening advance to Confirmation, performed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to Confirmation, samples testing presumptive positive are cleansed as necessary. The entire laboratory workflow, from Accessioning to Confirmation, adheres to the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and complies with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify drug usage up to 90 days, whereas urine tests provide a shorter timeframe.
• Challenge to falsify: Hair drug tests are notably hard to deceive, enhancing accuracy.
• Delivers historical insight: It uncovers drug use patterns over time, beyond immediate consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: It requires approximately 5-7 days for substances to appear in hair.
• Cost implications: Generally, hair drug testing incurs greater costs than alternative methods.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and individual growth variations can impact metabolite concentrations.

Note: Although occasionally termed as "hair follicle tests", the procedure examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Superior Detection Accuracy in Hair Follicle Testing
In Village Shires, PA, hair follicle testing surpasses traditional urine tests regarding detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair follicle tests can identify drug use over an extended period, offering a more comprehensive analysis.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window with Hair Follicle Testing
Hair follicle testing in Village Shires, PA, provides a substantial detection window, encompassing up to 90 days. This feature gives employers an extensive overview of an individual's substance history, aiding in more informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Reduction in Sample Adulteration
Hair follicle tests in Village Shires, PA, significantly curb the chances of sample tampering. This method ensures the integrity of results, providing trustworthy and verifiable outcomes that employers can trust.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Nationwide Testing Convenience
Convenience is assured with Accredited Drug Testing, offering numerous nationwide centers, including in Village Shires, PA. This network facilitates easy and hassle-free access to testing services when needed.

Simple, Confidential Process

Confidential and Straightforward Testing Process
In Village Shires, PA, accessing hair follicle testing is straightforward and secure. Our simple process ensures privacy and ease, from ordering to taking the test and receiving the results.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive Pricing, Fast Turnaround
At Accredited Drug Testing in Village Shires, PA, we offer competitive pricing along with fast result delivery. This combination provides excellent value, ensuring businesses receive quality services promptly.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The Precision and Speed of Hair Follicle Drug Tests
In Village Shires, PA, hair follicle drug tests offer unmatched precision in substance detection. These tests deliver results quickly, ensuring that substance use is accurately identified. The accuracy of hair follicle tests makes them a reliable choice for those requiring fast and dependable results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring Compliant and Safe Workplaces
For employers in Village Shires, PA, hair follicle testing provides compliance with drug-free policies, minimizing legal risks and promoting a safer work environment. It is an essential tool for maintaining peace of mind in policy adherence.

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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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