Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Granger, WA

What it is, How it works

Hair analyses have been acknowledged as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By capturing specific biomarkers within the strands, hair offers an extended timeline of drug and alcohol history. Hair samples collected near the scalp provide a detection timeframe of up to three months for alcohol and drugs. The collection process is straightforward, while maintaining difficulty in tampering, and allows for simple shipment.

A hair sample of 1.5 inches, containing about 200 strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) taken nearest to the scalp, will yield about 100mg, considered the optimal quantity for screening and verification. For EtG, additional screenings, and tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advised. It's suggested to use a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. In cases where scalp hair isn’t accessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be obtained. When mentioning head hair, it refers specifically to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses any other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key stages in lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary step of integrating a sample into a lab's framework. This process ensures the sample was properly sealed and transported, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and incorporates any additional data entry outside an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers a rapid initial evaluation for drug presence. Though it serves as a cost-efficient measure to exclude drug use in most samples, a confirmed result is necessary for legal presentation. All tentatively positive samples in Screening require a follow-up confirmation.

For samples deemed tentatively positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at a lower concentration compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), contributing to its complexity in execution.

Confirmation of any positive results from screening is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. Samples testing presumptively positive undergo pre-confirmation washing as needed. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation complies with both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug testing can reveal drug use up to 90 days, surpassing the shorter timeframe of urine tests.
• Challenging to circumvent: Manipulating hair drug tests is notably difficult, thus enhancing result reliability.
• Historical insights: It reveals a timeline of drug consumption patterns, as opposed to solely recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent use: It takes around 5-7 days before drugs manifest in hair samples.
• Expense: Hair drug testing typically incurs higher costs than other testing approaches.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite the common term "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand itself, excluding the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Granger, WA
In Granger, WA, hair testing surpasses the traditional urine tests by providing superior detection accuracy and reliability. The hair follicle method offers a more comprehensive analysis, ensuring that any substance presence is adequately captured and assessed.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Granger, WA
With hair follicle testing, substance use can be traced over a more extended period, typically up to 90 days. For employers in Granger, WA, this provides a detailed overview of an individual's drug use history, encompassing a significant timeframe for better decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Granger, WA
Hair follicle testing effectively minimizes the risk of sample tampering. This method offers reliable and unquestionable results, giving stakeholders the confidence they need in the data gathered, ensuring authenticity and integrity of the test outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Granger, WA
Our extensive network of testing centers ensures that whether you're in Granger, WA, or anywhere nationwide, testing services are accessible. This convenience enables swift and hassle-free program implementation.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Granger, WA
Our hair follicle testing in Granger, WA, is characterized by a straightforward, private process from ordering to result delivery. This approach addresses privacy concerns and makes the testing procedure easy to navigate and understand.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Granger, WA
In Granger, WA, our competitive pricing coupled with quick results provide outstanding value. Companies of all sizes can benefit from this affordability, ensuring quality insights without breaking the bank.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Granger, WA
Hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their precision and speed. Unlike other methods, these tests boast a high level of accuracy in identifying substance use. In Granger, WA, this means you can rely on results that don’t just meet, but often exceed expectations.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Granger, WA
Implementing hair follicle testing aligns with workplace drug-free policies, offering compliance assurance. For employers in Granger, WA, this means reduced legal risks and heightened workplace safety, fostering an environment of trust and responsibility.

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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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