Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Paterson, WA

What it is, How it works

Hair assessments have emerged as a robust method for uncovering drug and alcohol usage. By retaining biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair strand, hair offers an extensive record of substance use. If collected near the scalp, hair can present up to an estimated three-month inspection period for detecting alcohol and drugs. Collection of hair is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of around 200 hair fibers (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) positioned closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal specimen for testing and verification. For EtG assessments, additional procedures, and/or screenings beyond 10-panel tests, 150mg of the sample is advocated. It's advisable to measure the hair on a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't accessible, a comparable quantity of body hair might be gathered. References to head hair specifically pertain to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other varieties of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The process of laboratory assessment for drug testing encompasses Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation as key phases.

Accessioning deals with the preliminary handling of a specimen in a lab. The tasks include checking proper sealing and shipping of the sample, allocating a unique Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and conducting any additional data input absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening entails an initial rapid assessment for substances of abuse. While it's a budget-friendly means to negate drug usage in most samples, positive outcomes in Screening necessitate further verification to be valid in legal settings. Samples with tentative positives in Screening are obligated to undergo secondary confirmation.

When a Screening outcome is tentatively positive, more hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. This phase involves obtaining drugs from hair at notably lower concentrations than with other techniques (for instance, urine or oral fluids), which is why hair drug screening presents the highest level of difficulty.

Confirmation of any positive result from Screening is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with tentative positives are cleansed as needed before confirmation. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation in accordance with ISO / IEC 17025 stipulations.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection duration: Hair drug evaluations can reveal drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a narrower detection period.
• Decreased likelihood to deceive: Manipulating a hair drug evaluation is notably challenging, thereby enhancing result precision.
• Delivers historical insights: It illustrates a pattern of substance use over time, beyond just recent intake.

Limitations:

• Non-detection of recent intake: It requires about 5-7 days for substances to become discernable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug evaluations tend to be pricier than alternative drug-testing approaches.
• Outcome variability: Drug metabolite concentrations in hair can be influenced by variations such as hair color and individual hair growth patterns.

Note: Although frequently named "hair follicle tests," the actual test evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle situated beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Paterson, WA, outperforms urine tests by offering enhanced detection precision and reliability. Their superior accuracy makes them invaluable for substance screening.

Extended Detection Window

With the ability to identify drug use over 90 days, hair follicle testing in Paterson, WA, gives employers insight into long-term substance histories of potential or current employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Paterson, WA's hair follicle tests offer tamper-resistant solutions, minimizing the risk of sample adulteration and ensuring reliable results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our extensive network of testing centers, including Paterson, WA, ensures seamless access to testing services, providing convenience and efficiency.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Paterson, WA, we offer a straightforward and private approach to ordering, testing, and receiving results, ensuring ease and confidentiality.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our competitive pricing and rapid turnaround in Paterson, WA, offer outstanding value and reassurance for businesses of all sizes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Paterson, WA, hair follicle drug tests offer fast, precise, and dependable results. Their high accuracy in exposing substance use makes them the preferred choice.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For Paterson, WA employers, hair follicle testing guarantees compliance with drug-free workplace policies, mitigating legal risks and bolstering safety.

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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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