Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Palmer, WA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as a robust method for detecting drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a prolonged history of substances by embedding biomarkers within its growing fibers. When gathered from near the scalp, a hair sample can reveal usage of alcohol and other substances over a period of up to roughly three months. Collecting hair is straightforward, difficult to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment with about 200 hair strands (roughly pencil width) nearest to the scalp equates to 100mg – the optimal amount for analysis and verification. For EtG tests, add-ons, and/or analyses exceeding 10 panels, it is advised to use 150mg. The use of a jeweler's scale is recommended for measuring the sample. In instances where scalp hair is missing, a similar quantity of body hair may be utilized. The term "head hair" specifically pertains to scalp hair. "Body hair" encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory process for determining drug test results consists of four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary processing phase where a sample is integrated into a lab’s system. This stage ensures the sample was appropriately sealed and delivered, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing data entry, unless already provided through an electronic custody chain.

Screening serves as an initial assessment for drug presence. Although Screening is an economical method to eliminate drug use in most samples, a positive result requires a Confirmation to be legally acceptable. Any specimens testing presumptive positive in Screening must undergo secondary confirmation.

When a specimen is tagged as presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is retrieved from the original sample to prepare for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), accounting for hair screening being a challenging technique.

Confirmation of any positive Screen is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples flagged as presumptive positive are cleansed before Confirmation as necessary. The full lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair specification and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can spot drug usage up to 90 days, surpassing the shorter detection periods of urine tests.
• Resistance to tampering: Hair tests are nearly impossible to cheat, thus enhancing accuracy.
• Tracks historical usage: It shows a pattern of substance use over time instead of just immediate usage.

Limitations:

• Cannot capture recent usage: Detection in hair takes roughly 5-7 days after usage.
• Higher cost: Hair tests generally incur more expense than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth variations can influence metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the test actually assesses the hair shaft, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Palmer, WA: Hair drug tests are often deemed superior over traditional urine tests because they offer enhanced detection accuracy. With their ability to uncover substance use over longer periods, these tests are deemed highly reliable.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Palmer, WA: Hair follicle testing can reveal drug use over an extended period, up to 90 days, providing employers with a deeper insight into an individual's substance history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Palmer, WA: Hair follicle tests significantly mitigate the risk of sample tampering, assuring that results remain reliable and untainted.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Palmer, WA: Our wide-reaching network of testing centers ensures that drug testing remains swift, convenient, and stress-free across the country.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Palmer, WA: Our hair follicle testing process is uncomplicated and ensures privacy when ordering, undergoing, and receiving results, maintaining user confidentiality at every step.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Palmer, WA: With competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times, our hair follicle testing services deliver exceptional value, accommodating organizations of all sizes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Palmer, WA, the precision of hair follicle testing is unmatched. Within a short span, the accuracy in identifying substance use is profoundly high, offering swift and reliable outcomes that businesses can trust.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Palmer, WA: Implementing hair follicle testing aligns with drug-free workplace policies, decreasing legal liabilities and bolstering workplace safety.

Drug Testing Near Palmer, WA

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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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