Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mabana, WA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has gained recognition as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a prolonged history of these substances by capturing biomarkers in the strands of hair as it grows. When gathered near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a three-month period for the presence of drugs and alcohol. Collecting hair is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample of approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the perfect sample size for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen weighing 150mg is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen is suggested. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. By head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types, such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The key stages in the laboratory procedure of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary handling of a sample into the lab's system. This process includes ensuring the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and filling in any additional data not already included in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening efficiently rules out drug usage in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be valid in court. Samples testing presumptive positive in Screening must undergo secondary confirmation.

Should a sample indicate a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, further hair is extracted from the original specimen and readied for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration than other methods like urine or oral fluid, making hair drug screening a challenging methodology.

Confirmation for any positive screening result is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positive samples undergo a wash before confirmation if needed. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is overseen under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation adhering to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, versus urine tests which offer a shorter window.
• Challenge to manipulate: Hair drug testing is quite difficult to cheat, yielding more precise outcomes.
• Historical insight: It displays a drug usage pattern over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair only after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug testing typically costs more than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal hair growth variations can influence drug metabolite concentration.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is commonly used, but the test actually assesses the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Mabana, WA, hair follicle testing offers significant benefits over traditional urine tests. It provides superior detection accuracy and reliability, establishing itself as a crucial tool for maintaining workplace safety.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Mabana, WA benefit from hair follicle testing's extended detection window of up to 90 days. This allows for a comprehensive view of substance history, aiding in informed hiring decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Mabana, WA, the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing ensures sample integrity. This method significantly reduces the risk of adulteration, guaranteeing reliable and trustworthy results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

The availability of nationwide testing centers in Mabana, WA offers unparalleled convenience. Accessing testing services becomes easy and hassle-free with these strategically located centers.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair follicle testing in Mabana, WA is simple and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, privacy concerns are addressed effectively, ensuring user convenience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and fast turnaround times, our hair follicle testing in Mabana, WA provides unbeatable value and peace of mind to businesses of any size.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle testing in Mabana, WA ensures fast and precise results. Unlike other methods, this technique offers high accuracy in substance detection, highlighting its superiority.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Mabana, WA, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free policies, reducing legal risks and promoting workplace safety and peace of mind.

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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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