Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Husum, WA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a potent means for detecting alcohol and drug use. Hair offers a prolonged history of substance use by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When collected near the scalp, hair can deliver an approximately three-month detection timeframe for both alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches with around 200 hair strands (equivalent to the diameter of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will provide 100mg of hair, the ideal quantity for screening and verification. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We recommend using a jeweler's scale for weighing the specimen. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be obtained. When mentioning head hair, we are specifically referring to scalp hair. Body hair refers to all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four primary phases in the laboratory processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial handling of a sample into a lab's system. This includes confirming that the sample was sealed and sent accurately, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performing any additional data entry not facilitated by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of an initial quick assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-effective method to rule out drug use in most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Any samples that are presumptively positive in Screening do require a secondary confirmation.

If a specimen tests positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening presents the most challenging methodology to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleaned prior to confirmation as required. The comprehensive laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and in accordance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection span.
• Challenge to deceive: It is exceedingly difficult to falsify a hair drug test, ensuring more reliable results.
• Supplies historical data: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over a duration, not confined to recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect immediate use: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are commonly more costly than other drug testing techniques.
• Variability in results: Elements such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Husum, WA – Hair testing holds a significant edge over traditional urine tests. The benefits include heightened detection accuracy and reliability, making it a preferred choice for comprehensive substance use screening.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Husum, WA – Hair follicle testing offers an extended detection period of up to 90 days. This gives employers insight into an applicant or employee's long-term substance use history, providing a comprehensive overview.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Husum, WA – Hair follicle tests diminish the chance of sample adulteration, delivering reliable results that are difficult to dispute, ensuring integrity in drug testing protocols.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Husum, WA – Our extensive network of testing centers nationwide ensures easy access to services, providing a straightforward and stress-free testing process.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Husum, WA – The process for ordering, conducting, and receiving hair test results is straightforward and confidential. This addresses privacy concerns and simplifies the user experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Husum, WA – We offer competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times, making hair follicle drug testing a cost-effective solution for organizations of all sizes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Husum, WA – Hair follicle drug tests are known for their precision and speed. These tests provide high accuracy in identifying substance use, ensuring that employers and individuals receive dependable results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Husum, WA – Utilizing hair follicle tests ensures that businesses adhere to drug-free workplace policies, mitigating legal risks and promoting a secure working environment.

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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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