Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Moscow, WI

What it is, How it works

Utilizing hair testing is regarded as a highly effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a prolonged record of substances by capturing biomarkers within the growing strand of hair. When gathered near the scalp, hair can supply up to a 3-month detection timeframe for alcohol and other substances. Hair is easy to gather, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch portion of approximately 200 hair strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, deemed the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or assessments beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is recommended to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is absent, a comparable quantity of body hair is acceptable. In terms of head hair, this specifically refers to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for processing a drug test outcome involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the initial incorporation of a sample into a lab's framework, ensuring the sample is sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any supplemental data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening encompasses an initial rapid assessment for illegal substances. Screening is a cost-effective method for ruling out drug use in most samples, but a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Any samples that are preliminarily positive in Screening require a further confirmation step.

Should a sample test presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and arranged for Extraction. During this phase, substances are drawn from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is considered the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of positive screening outcomes is achieved via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation where necessary. The full laboratory protocol from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed 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 identify drug use for up to 90 days, in contrast with urine tests which offer a shorter detection period.
• Difficulty to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, which enhances result accuracy.
• Historical insight: It provides a record of substance usage over time, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal variations in hair growth may influence the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the assessment actually examines the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Moscow, WI, hair follicle testing is favored over urine tests for superior detection accuracy. This method's reliability surpasses traditional urine testing, identifying substance usage efficiently.
Employers benefit from a consistent and dependable detection method that minimizes errors and circumvents the issues often associated with urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing's extended detection window in Moscow, WI, spans up to 90 days, significantly surpassing the capabilities of traditional drug screens. This duration provides employers with extensive insights into an individual's history.
Such comprehensive detection aids employers in assessing a candidate's or employee's substance track record more effectively.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Moscow, WI, provides a tamper-resistant solution. With significantly reduced risks of sample adulteration, this method delivers trustworthy and unimpeachable results.
Its reliability stems from the robust collection and analysis process, which upholds sample integrity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Enjoy the convenience of nationwide testing centers, including local locations in Moscow, WI, ensuring quick, easy, and hassle-free service access.
Our extensive network facilitates seamless access for testing needs wherever they may arise.

Simple, Confidential Process

The simple and confidential process in Moscow, WI, ensures privacy and ease from ordering, conducting, to receiving hair test results.
We address privacy concerns, ensuring that the procedure remains straightforward and discrete for all users involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

With our affordable pricing in Moscow, WI, and fast turnaround times, we offer outstanding value and peace of mind for businesses of any scale.
Our competitive pricing structures ensure that employers benefit from quick results without financial strain.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle testing in Moscow, WI provides fast, accurate, and reliable results. Detecting substance usage with a high degree of precision, these tests ensure confidence in outcomes.
Hair testing allows for the effective monitoring of substances, assuring both employers and individuals of the accuracy.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in Moscow, WI, ensures compliance with workplace drug-free policies, offering peace of mind to employers. It reduces legal risks and enhances workplace safety.
Employers can rest assured of the reliability and thoroughness provided by hair testing as part of their compliance strategy.

Drug Testing Near Moscow, WI

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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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