Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Roy, WA

What it is, How it works

The utilization of hair testing has emerged as an effective means for uncovering drug and alcohol usage. By encapsulating biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand, hair offers an extended history of alcohol and other substances. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer approximately a 3-month detection period for these substances. Collection of hair is straightforward, less prone to tampering, and convenient for shipping.

Collecting a 1.5-inch sample consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the perfect sample size for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is suggested. We advise weighing the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not present, an equivalent volume of body hair may be collected. References to head hair specify only scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair categories (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary steps in processing a drug test result in a laboratory are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory's system. This verifies that the sample was appropriately sealed and dispatched, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any extra data entry not included by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary swift examination for drugs of abuse. Though Screening is an economical approach to rule out drug use in most samples, a confirmed positive screen is essential to hold up in court. Any samples that show presumptive positivity in Screening need a subsequent confirmation.

If presumptively positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the primary specimen for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are drawn from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most complex approach to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is achieved using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples undergo washing before confirmation, as needed. The entire laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, contrasting with urine tests which have shorter detection periods.
• Challenging to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, increasing the accuracy of the results.
• Displays historical data: It offers a chronicle of drug use over a timespan, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur greater costs than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Variables such as hair color and individual variances in hair growth can influence the drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite frequently being labeled 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

Hair testing in Roy, WA, offers superior detection compared to urine tests. Hair tests provide longer detection, showcasing reliability and a strong deterrent against substance misuse, ensuring higher accuracy.

Extended Detection Window

Providing an extensive detection window, hair follicle testing in Roy, WA, encompasses up to 90 days of substance use history. This method offers employers a clearer picture of an individual's habits.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Roy, WA, the hair follicle drug test strongly minimizes tampering risks, yielding reliable and trustworthy outcomes. This tamper-resistant method boosts confidence in test validity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is key in Roy, WA, with our nationwide testing centers. Accessing testing services becomes swift, easy, and hassle-free, ensuring locally accessible services throughout various locations.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simplicity and confidentiality define the testing process in Roy, WA. Ordering, testing, and receiving results is straightforward, addressing privacy and user-friendly concerns.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Roy, WA, benefits from competitive pricing structures and rapid result delivery. Fast turnaround times offer excellent value for businesses, calming any size company's concerns.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Roy, WA, the efficiency and precision of hair follicle drug tests stand out. Their high accuracy ensures trustworthy results by detecting substance use with unmatched swiftness.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Roy, WA, enjoy compliance and peace of mind through hair follicle testing. It fosters workplace safety by enforcing drug-free policies and diminishing legal threats.

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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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