Understanding Hair and Urine Drug Test

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who Need Drug Test

Understanding Hair Drug Test and Urine Drug Test

 

Is it accurate and Why?

Hair testing is the most accurate and effective method of finding users of drugs of abuse. Using a small sample of hair cut at the scalp, hair analysis evaluates the amount of drug metabolites embedded inside the hair shaft.

Since each hair has it own directly blood supply, the ingestion of any illegal drugs will be transport by blood and trapped by the hair, which can be revealed by analyzing a small sample of hair. Our testing method measures the drug molecules and the metabolites embedded inside the hairshaft, eliminating external contamination as a source of a positive test result.

Why Choose Mineralysis for Hair Drug Testing?

Our partner in the USA is a CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) certified laboratory, it is also an International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangements accrediated labratory and is accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard by ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board - ANAB.  It is also licensed by the College of American Pathologists, New York Department of Health, Maryland Department of Health, Oklahoma Department of Health and California Department of Public Health to conduct forensic testing. 

Using highly regulated and proficient methodologies, our state-of-the-art equipment:

In order to maintain high accuracy and reliability, and fulfill the licensing requirements of all authorities, the laboratory has simultaneously employed 3 proficient methodologies and state-of-the-art equipments:

1. ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
2. LC/MS/MS
3. GC/MS

The testing sensitivity and report accuracy meet international standards and the courts in USA also recognize hair test results for forensic purpose.

Government or university laboratories seldom utilize these 3 accurate but costly methodologies and equipment simultaneously under strict financial resources.

10 types of commonly abused drugs can be tested, with 23 specific drugs included:

 

1. Amphetamine安非他命
2. Methamphetamine冰毒
3. Ecstasy (MDMA) 搖頭丸
4. MDA 3,4-亞甲基雙氧安非他命
5. Cocaine可卡因, Cocaine Metabolite 可卡因代謝物
6. Opiates鴉片類
7. Codeine咳藥水
8. Morphine嗎啡
9. Heroin Metabolite海洛英
10. THC Metabolite(Marijuana) 大麻代謝物
11. Ketamine 氯胺酮, Norketamine氯胺酮代謝物
12. Benzodiazepines苯二氮平類藥品
13. Alprazolam (阿普唑侖, 佳静安定)
14. Clonazepam(氯硝西泮)
15. Diazepam (羅氏五號,  羅氏十號)
16. Lorazepam (勞拉西泮，樂耐平)
17. Nordiazepam (五仔、黃飛鴻)
18. Oxazepam (奥沙西泮 - 舒寧)
19. Temazepam (甲羥舒寧)
20. Phencyclidine (PCP) 苯環利定 (天使塵)
21. Barbiturates     巴比士酸盬
22. Methadone      美沙酮
23. Propoxyphene 丙氧芬

In most of the cases, a screening and confirmation test on 7 types (total 19 drugs) in the hair is enough to verify any history of drug abuse.

Why don’t choose urine test?

When compared to the more traditional forms of testing, i.e. urine or blood testing, hair samples can detect a longer period of drug use. With urine, most drugs are undetectable if urinalysis is done more than 10 days after use, with the exception of marijuana, which may be detected for a slightly longer period of time. After the 10-day period, a urine donor will test negative and slip through the urine screening process. With hair samples, the only time limitation for detecting drug usage is imposed by the length of the donor’s hair. Each 0.5 inch of head hair provides a 30-day history of drug use. The standard for the industry is to test 1.5 inches, which provides a 90-day history of the donor’s drug use.

 

Can this test be done for people without head hair?

If no head hair is available, body hair can be used. Bleaches, shampoos and external contaminants (i.e. marijuana smoke) have no known impact on test results.

 

Urine Drug Test

Other than highly accurate hair drug testing, we also offer traditional urine drug testing for the screening of drug or alcohol abuse.

Although urine drug test possess more limitation in the screening of chronic low dose drug abuse, for example, short time frame of detection, difficulties in sample collection and maintaining sample integrity, some organization may still employ this test as a sudden random test for their staff because the staff may be no hair.

The following drugs will be screened for a urine drug testing:

1. Marijuana, THC metabolites含大麻成分物品（大麻）
2. Amphetamines 安非他明(amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDA, MDMA, MDEA)
3. Opiates 鴉片製劑(codeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, morphine)
4. Cocaine and its metabolite 可加因及其代謝物
5. Phencyclidine (PCP) 苯環利定
6. Benzodiazepines 苯二氮平類藥品
7. Barbiturates 巴比特酸鹽(amobarbital, butalbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, secobarbital)
8. Methadone 美沙酮
9. Ketamine 氯胺酮
10. Propoxyphene 丙氧芬

Why Choose Mineralysis for Urine Drug Testing?

Our urine drug test is performed in a USA based laboratory certified by the government (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments).

All urine samples will be couriered to our collaborating laboratory in USA for drug test and the specimen integrity and validity can be ensured by laboratory testing, dilution or adulteration of the urine sample can be effective identified by the laboratory, also, the exact type and exact concentration of certain drug can be accurately determined.  All of these reliable processes will be performed on each specimen in order to ensure the most accurate result, unlike simple instant urine test kits which can only provide preliminary “positive” or “negative” result.