Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Morgan, UT

What it is, How it works

Hair examinations are now regarded as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended timeline of alcohol and drug use by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When taken from near the scalp, hair can allow a detection timeframe of up to roughly 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, relatively hard to alter, and straightforward to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches containing about 200 hair strands (approximately the girth of a #2 pencil) from closest to the scalp will provide 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for analysis and verification. For EtG, supplemental tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 different drug types, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to measure the sample's weight. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent volume of body hair can be collected. When referencing head hair, it pertains solely to scalp hair. All other types of hair (such as facial, axillary, etc.) are termed body hair.

Process Overview

The principal phases in the laboratory handling of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary processing of a specimen into a lab's database. This step ensures the sample was securely sealed and correctly dispatched, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional data input absent from the electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a quick preliminary examination for drug abuse. Though Screening is an economical method to rule out drug consumption on most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples that show a presumptive positive in Screening need further confirmation.

If Screening suggests positivity, additional hair from the initial sample is used for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at markedly lower concentrations than in other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the hardest methodology to carry out.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. All preliminarily positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The full lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guideline and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a more limited detection window.
• Hard to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is arduous, enhancing the accuracy of the results.
• Delivers usage history: It can demonstrate a trend of drug use over time, not just recent occurrences.

Limitations:

• Incapable of recent detection: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug testing is mostly costlier compared to other drug testing methods.
• Diverse results: Elements like hair color and individual variations in hair growth can affect the levels of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Though commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis inspects the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Morgan, UT showcases the advantages of hair testing. Unlike traditional urine tests, hair tests offer superior detection accuracy and reliability, proving less susceptible to tampering and yielding more comprehensive results.

Hair follicle tests surpass urine in detecting drugs for longer periods, providing a more complete picture of drug use, valuable for both employers and authorities enforcing strict drug policies.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Morgan, UT describes how hair follicle testing extends the timeline for detecting substance use.
The ability to track drug use over up to 90 days gives employers a clearer insight into an individual’s long-term substance habits.

This longer detection period compared to other tests allows employers to make more informed decisions regarding an employee or recruit’s past drug use behavior.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Morgan, UT demonstrates the robustness of hair follicle tests.
The risk of sample manipulation is significantly reduced, offering more dependable and definitive results than conventional methods.

This method's inherent resistance to tampering ensures results are trustworthy, critical for maintaining integrity in testing processes required by many institutions and companies.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Morgan, UT highlight the ease of accessing testing services.
With numerous centers across the country, Accredited Drug Testing provides quick, seamless local and national access.

Our vast network of testing sites ensures that getting tested is a hassle-free experience, catering to businesses and individuals alike.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Morgan, UT elucidates the straightforward nature of ordering, testing, and results retrieval.
Our emphasis on privacy and usability ensures a worry-free experience in maintaining confidentiality.

The process of hair testing respects user privacy at every stage, making it not only simple but also ensuring the personal information of clients stays secure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Morgan, UT reinforces our competitive advantage.
With budget-friendly options and quick results, we offer excellent value, catering to businesses of all sizes with efficiency.

Our swift processing time paired with affordable pricing structures ensures peace of mind, enabling companies to make informed decisions without delay.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Morgan, UT highlight why hair follicle drug tests stand out. Their high precision and rapid processing enable prompt and accurate assessments, assuring employers of the reliability in detecting substance use.

Hair testing offers superior accuracy, swiftly identifying a spectrum of drugs, providing reassurance and quick decisions for employers maintaining a drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Morgan, UT emphasizes how hair follicle testing supports adherence to drug-free workplace policies.
This method helps mitigate legal risks, boosting safety and compliance with regulatory standards.

Deploying hair tests not only ensures compliance but also promotes a safer workplace, securing both employee trust and organizational integrity.

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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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