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Q. Is all hair testing the same?
A. No. Psychemedics holds both American and European patents to detect drugs of abuse in hair. Additionally, Psychemedics holds a patent that is specific to its ability to detect the presence of marijuana, the most difficult drug to detect in hair.
Q. What is RIAH® (Radioimmunoassay of Hair)
A. Psychemedics' patented technology that detects drugs in hair using radioimmunoassay. RIAH® measures the drug molecules permanently entrapped in hair which were incorporated following ingestion.
Q. What drugs are included in a standard Psychemedics drug screen?
A. Marijuana, ecstasy (MDMA), cocaine (including crack), opiates (including heroin), methamphetamine, and phencyclidine (PCP or angel dust). These drugs were identified as "illegal drugs" in the Presidents Executive Order 12564 and are the five drugs mandated for testing by the federal government
Q. Can a positive result be caused by drugs in the air or environment attaching themselves to hair?
A. Yes. All positive results reported by Psychemedics are confirmed using GC/MS or the more sophisticated GC/MS/MS.
Q. How much hair is needed for the test?
A. Assuming the sample is taken from the head, the amount of hair needed is approximately 90-120 strands, or a snip about the size of a shoelace tip. This represents a relatively small amount of hair and should be cosmetically undetectable.
Q. What is the shortest time period that can be accurately evaluated?
A. In most situations the minimum time period is approximately one month. RIAH® cannot determine drug use for any particular day or week.
Q. Can tests be conducted on individuals with little or no head hair?
A. Absolutely. Hair can be collected from several locations on the head and combined to obtain the required amount of hair. If necessary, body hair can be used as an alternative to head hair.
Q. Does chemical treatment of the hair affect test results?
A. Commonly used hair products (shampoos conditioners, sprays, mousses and gels) have no significant effect on test results In fact, normal hair washing helps to remove the external presence of drugs on the hair. Drug residues remain permanently entrapped in the hair. They cannot be washed or bleached out.
Q. Does hair color or texture affect the results of the testing?
A. No. In fact, Psychemedics patented process routinely separates melanin, the color component of hair from the sample. Therefore, the hair tested is colorless. Extensive independent studies confirm that hair color is not a factor in Psychemedics hair testing results.
Q. Are there independent studies that show that the hair test is effective?
A. There are many independent studies, for example the "National Institute of Justice study" and the "Steelcase study."
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