Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Airway Heights, WA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers a chronic history of substance use by encapsulating biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. When clipped near the scalp, the hair can deliver a detection window of up to three months for both alcohol and drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and convenient to send.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (resembles a #2 pencil in size) from the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is optimal for testing and verification. For EtG, additional panels, and tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg is advised. We suggest using a jeweler's scale for precise weighing. If head hair is inaccessible, the same quantity of body hair can be utilized. When mentioning head hair, it specifically pertains to scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other forms of hair (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory analysis of a drug test encompasses four major steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves incorporating a sample into the laboratory’s database. This includes confirming the sample’s seal and proper shipment, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number) randomly, and completing any extra data entry omitted by an electronic custody tracking system.

Screening constitutes a preliminary rapid assessment for substance abuse. While it serves as an economical strategy to exclude drug consumption in the majority of samples, a positive screen mandates confirmation for legal submission. Samples that indicate a presumptive positive during Screening require a follow-up confirmation.

If a sample registers a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the primary sample and readied for Extraction. In this stage, substances are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair analysis one of the most challenging methods to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positives undergo washing as necessary before confirmation. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated both under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation guidelines.

Advantages of hair drug analysis:

• Extended detection period: Hair testing can determine drug usage for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests with a shorter detection interval.
• Harder to falsify: Attempting to deceive a hair drug test is very challenging, leading to more reliable results.
• Offers historical insight: It can reveal a substance use pattern over time, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent usage: Drugs require about 5-7 days to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically costlier compared to other testing methods.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and personal discrepancies in hair growth can influence the level of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: While commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair testing in Airway Heights, WA, offers significant advantages over traditional urine tests. The main benefit is the superior detection accuracy and reliability, providing a more comprehensive review of an individual's substance use. Hair tests are less prone to sample tampering, making them the preferred option for many employers and courts.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Airway Heights, WA, benefit from hair follicle testing due to its extended detection window. This method can detect drug usage over a span of up to 90 days, as compared to shorter detection periods of other tests. This provides a clearer picture of an employee's or candidate's history with substances, helping to make informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Airway Heights, WA, offer a tamper-resistant testing method that virtually eliminates the risk of sample adulteration. This process ensures the reliability of the results, providing unquestionable evidence of substance use and reinforcing trust in the testing procedures.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Airway Heights, WA, residents benefit from convenient testing locations nationwide, ensuring easy access to hair follicle tests. With our wide network, individuals can find local testing centers without hassle, ensuring that the testing process is fast and accessible for everyone needing these vital services.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Airway Heights, WA, simple and confidential processes define our approach to hair follicle testing. From ordering to receiving the results, users experience privacy and ease. This streamlined approach reassures participants that their personal information remains secure throughout every step of the process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our services in Airway Heights, WA, offer affordable pricing and rapid turnaround times, making hair follicle testing accessible to companies of all sizes. By providing competitive rates and fast results, we ensure that businesses receive excellent value, enhancing trust and satisfaction with our services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Airway Heights, WA, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their speed and accuracy, offering rapid and dependable results. Precision in detecting drug use makes them a reliable choice for employers and individuals alike, ensuring they receive trustworthy results without the long wait times often associated with other testing methods.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Airway Heights, WA, gives employers compliance and peace of mind. This testing method helps maintain adherence to workplace drug policies, mitigating potential legal issues. It also promotes a safer and more productive work environment by discouraging substance abuse.

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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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