Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Camp Douglas, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective tool for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended history of alcohol and drug use by capturing biomarkers in the strands of the growing hair. When taken near the scalp, hair can provide an approximate three-month detection window for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easily collected, relatively hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of about 200 hair strands (around the width of a #2 pencil) near the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, the optimal quantity for screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or assessments exceeding 10 panels, it is suggested to use 150mg of the specimen. It's advisable to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be collected, an equivalent amount of body hair may be used. References to head hair pertain solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test involves four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial entry of a sample into a laboratory system. This process includes verifying the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and filling in any missing data not supplied by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as an initial rapid check for drug abuse. Screening is cost-efficient for eliminating drug usage in most samples, though a positive result must undergo confirmation for court admissibility. Any samples that are preliminarily positive in Screening need to be confirmed via a subsequent test.

If a sample tests preliminarily positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for the Extraction stage. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the most challenging methodologies.

Confirmation of any positive screen takes place through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumed positive results are washed prior to confirmation as needed. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter detection period.
• Hard to falsify: Hair drug tests are hard to cheat, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It provides a timeline of drug use over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair roughly 5-7 days post-use.
• Expenses: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs than other testing methods.
• Result variabilities: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Although termed "hair follicle tests," the test evaluates the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

A key advantage of hair follicle testing over traditional urine exams in Camp Douglas, WI, lies in its enhanced detection accuracy. Hair tests not only extend the detection window beyond typical limits but also provide results with greater reliability, making them the preferred option in certain professional contexts.

Extended Detection Window

With the capacity to identify substance use dating back 90 days, hair follicle testing in Camp Douglas, WI, provides a thorough insight into an individual's drug history. This broader detection window is particularly beneficial for employers seeking detailed analysis of potential candidates' or current employees' drug use profiles.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Camp Douglas, WI, significantly mitigates the risk of sample tampering. This method provides a rigorous and safe approach, ensuring the integrity of results remains undisturbed, making it a trusted choice for accurate drug screening.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing makes accessibility straightforward in Camp Douglas, WI, and across the nation, featuring numerous convenient testing sites. This widespread availability ensures a seamless, quick, and easy testing process for individuals wherever they are located.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of acquiring, executing, and obtaining results from hair follicle tests in Camp Douglas, WI, remains straightforward and confidential. Designed to address privacy concerns, this method ensures ease of use, making the procedure stress-free for all involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Positioned as a competitively-priced, rapidly-executed service in Camp Douglas, WI, hair follicle testing offers excellent turnaround rates. This service provides considerable value and assurance for organizations of diverse scales.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The rapid and precise outcomes observed with hair follicle testing in Camp Douglas, WI, reinforce its status as a superior method for examining drug use. Not only does it offer high accuracy, but it also provides quick results, making it a preferred choice for those seeking reliable substance use detection.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employing hair follicle testing methods in Camp Douglas, WI, assures workplaces of policy adherence and legal safety. By reducing the risks associated with unlawful substance use, it fosters a secure working environment and peace of mind for employers and employees alike.

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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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