Concateno plc - global drug testing services

 

Hair Testing Glossary

Abstinence

The act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite or desire, especially for alcoholic drinks or drugs.

Accreditation

Credit or recognition for obtaining and maintaining certain standards by a recognised body.

Body Hair

Any hair excluding head hair. Body hair can include facial hair, underarm hair and pubic hair.

CDT

Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin test; an alcohol test carried out on a blood sample which can indicate excessive alcohol use over a 1-2 week period.

Certificate of Analysis

A simple report of laboratory results. Certificates will list the drug groups tested for, and a result of ‘detected’ or ‘not detected’.

Chain of Custody

The procedures in place throughout the life-cycle of a sample (from sample collection through to reporting of results) which maintain sample integrity. Without a strict chain of custody, an analysis may be challenged in court.

Drug Group

a collection of chemically similar compounds. A drug group can contain both specific drugs and metabolites. Every drug belongs to a particular drug group; for example, heroin belongs to the opiates drug group.

EtG

Ethyl Glucuronide, a metabolite of alcohol produced in the body when alcohol is consumed.

Expert Witness

A Reporting Scientist experienced in analysing hair for drugs who is able to provide commentary and consultation on results in addition to court appearances as required.

GC-MS

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, an analytical confirmation process used in our laboratory to identify which specific drugs within a drug group are present in the sample.

GC-MS/MS

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/ Mass Spectrometry, an analytical confirmation process used in our laboratory which detects lower levels of drugs than GC-MS (we use this process in particular for cannabis detection, where the drug is incorporated into hair at much lower levels than other drugs).

Historical Profile

An indication of drug use over a period of months or more.

LC-MS/MS

stands for Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/ Mass Spectrometry, another analytical confirmation process used to identify which specific drugs within a drug group are present in the sample.

ILAC

International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. An international cooperation of laboratory and inspection bodies formed to ensure the standardisation of quality standards globally.

ISO/IEC 17025:2005

The international accreditation standard specifying the requirements to demonstrate competence and performance capability in laboratory testing or calibration procedures. Testing and calibration laboratories that comply with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 will also operate in accordance with ISO 9001.

ISO 9001

An international standard specifying the requirements for an internal quality management system which meets customer requirements and enhances customer satisfaction.

Low Weight Sample

A sample that has been taken incorrectly (not enough hair has been cut). A new sample will need to be collected in order to provide a legally defensible result

LFT

Liver Function Test; an alcohol test carried out on a blood sample which provides information about the state of an individual’s liver at the time of sample collection.

Medico Legal

A term used to describe medical & biological services which are provided for use in court proceedings.

Metabolite

A substance produced when a drug is taken and broken down by the body. The presence of a metabolite and its parent drug in a hair sample is indicative of drug use.

Month-by-month

An analysis of several consecutive (1cm) monthly hair sections providing a separate indication of drug use for each month covered by the sample.

Oral Fluid

Substance found in the mouth comprised of saliva, gingival crevicular fluid (mucosal transudate), and small amounts of other components.

Overview

An analysis of a 3cm (three-month) section as a whole, providing an indication of drug use for the three months covered by the sample. Consecutive three-month sections can be analysed to provide longer term information. For example, for a year-long overview of drug use four three-month sections would be analysed providing a result for each of the three-month sections.

Phlebotomist

A trained professional who can collect blood samples.

Sample Collection Centre

A location where a lawyer or social worker can make an appointment for a donor to attend to have blood and hair samples taken. We currently have collection centres in Manchester and Liverpool.

Sample Preparation

Each hair sample is subject to a series of checks prior to any testing and is also sectioned according the requirements for each analysis. We also wash the samples to remove any external contaminants and digest the sample so that we are able to extract any drugs.

Concateno TrichoTech Collector

An individual trained to collect hair samples from donors. Concateno TrichoTech collections take place in a professional office (e.g. lawyer’s office), following a strict chain of custody and are used to ensure that the sample collection remains independent of both parties during legal proceedings.

UKAS

United Kingdom Accreditation Service, the sole national body recognised by the Government to assess quality standards within laboratories.

Witness Statement

A statement prepared by an Expert Witness detailing the testing procedure from sample collection through to reporting of results and details of which drugs were detected or not detected. A Expert Witness Statement also includes an individual commentary on the results from a Reporting Scientist, and is an essential document when analysis results are to be used in court proceedings.

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