Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Brandt, SD

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol use. By capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair strand, hair offers a long-term history of substance use. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol consumption over a period of up to three months. It is easy to collect, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

An ideal sample for screening and confirmation is a 1.5-inch length of about 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) taken closest to the scalp, yielding approximately 100mg of hair. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is preferred. We suggest weighing the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. References to head hair pertain to scalp hair only. Body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning is the first phase, where a sample is entered into a laboratory’s system. This step verifies that the sample is properly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing data entry not available through an electronic chain of custody.

Screening consists of a preliminary check for drug abuse. While it is a cost-efficient method to exclude drug usage for most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Any samples that show a presumptive positive in Screening require a secondary confirmation.

When a sample is presumptively positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the initial specimen and prepared for Extraction. Drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening particularly challenging to perform.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is carried out via techniques such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are washed prior to confirmation, as required. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed in compliance with 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 identify drug use over up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection period.
• Difficulty in manipulation: It is challenging to interfere with a hair drug test, making the results more reliable.
• Offers a historical perspective: It provides insights into a pattern of drug use over time, not only recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Higher cost: Hair drug tests generally incur higher expenses than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Despite often being called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Brandt, SD, hair follicle testing demonstrates superior detection capabilities over urine tests. The accuracy and dependability of hair testing shine, providing a more comprehensive view of substance use. With a wider detection window and precise results, it's preferred for reliable examination.

Urine tests fall short with a narrower detection range. Hair tests surpass them by revealing longer-term substance use, ensuring consistent enforcement of drug-free policies in workplaces and other environments.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing excels in Brandt, SD, with its extended detection window of up to 90 days. This thorough method captures comprehensive substance use history, aiding employers in making more informed, accurate assessments of potential hires and current employees.

Employers gain a deeper insight into an individual’s substance habits, contributing to a safer work environment and ensuring compliance with workplace policies, reducing the chances of overlooking potential issues.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Brandt, SD, the use of hair follicle tests drastically reduces the likelihood of sample tampering, offering unquestionable reliability. Their design makes it difficult to alter results, providing assurance and precision.

This tamper-resistant nature fosters confidence and peace of mind for all involved, knowing the results reflect an accurate measure of substance use, ensuring a sound basis for decisions regarding employment and compliance.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our widespread network of testing centers, including local sites in Brandt, SD, ensures convenient access to testing services. The vast availability of facilities makes the process efficient and hassle-free for anyone needing a drug test.

Enjoy the ease and convenience of our nationwide locations, designed to simplify the testing process and address scheduling constraints effectively for individuals and businesses alike.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for requesting, undertaking, and receiving hair follicle test results in Brandt, SD, is straightforward and confidential. This ensures ease and security during each phase, addressing any privacy concerns effectively.

With a focus on simplicity and privacy, users can engage in the testing process knowing that their information is handled with the utmost confidentiality, making it a stress-free experience from start to end.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our hair follicle testing in Brandt, SD, offers affordable pricing with quick turnaround times, providing excellent value. These cost-effective services ensure precise results that cater to businesses of all sizes.

The competitive pricing structure and rapid results highlight our dedication to offering quality and efficiency, ensuring peace of mind and facilitating a secure workplace efficiently.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests deliver fast, reliable results with great accuracy in Brandt, SD. This efficient screening method ensures precise detection of substances, offering dependable outcomes that help individuals and employers make well-informed decisions.

The advanced technology used in these tests enables quick processing while maintaining high accuracy, ensuring that substance use is identified efficiently, supporting trust and safety in various settings across Brandt.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in Brandt, SD, aids employers in maintaining compliance and security with drug-free workplace policies. This ensures legal adherence, lower risks, and bolsters workplace safety, all of which are crucial.

Employers can alleviate concerns about potential legal issues by adopting this testing method, thus reinforcing a safe and productive environment and promoting peace of mind for both management and staff.

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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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