Hair Testing for Alcohol

Alcohol abuse is one of the most serious social problems throughout the world. Our scientists had focussed their studies over many years to find suitable markers to establish chronic alcohol consumption. Hair analysis has proved its ability in establishing consumption of drugs of abuse over a period of time. Similarly, when we analyse the alcohol markers in hair samples, we can establish alcohol consumption over periods of time, dependent on the length of the hair.

As a pioneering company in this field (we were the first to introduce Alcohol in Hair testing into the UK for legal/medico cases almost 10 years ago) ScreenSafe UK follows guidelines as lay down by the Society of Hair testing - our laboratory services were founded by the current President of the Worldwide Society of Hair Testing. With almost 10 years history of testing for alcohol in hair, our experience is second to none.

The Society of Hair Testing recommends that the use of ETG (Ethylglucuronide) as a stable marker of excessive alcohol consumption should use a cut-off value of 30pg/mg of hair. Anything found below this should be reported as a negative as it could be due to low use or possible abstinence. With this cut-off level, we can identify (with no false negatives) a regular drinker. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and a literature survey, "chronic excessive alcohol consumption" is regarded as the consumption of more than 60 grams of pure ethanol per day over several months. 60g of pure ethanol represents approximately 7.5 units of alcohol. A typical 3cm sample of hair will show a history of the past 3 months.

We are the only company that will offer segmentation of the hair sample to give a month-by-month account of chronic alcohol consumption. Although the SoHT guidelines recommend 0-3cm and 3-6cm sections, we can also provide both reports and expert witness statements on segmented samples for ETG due to our superior experience in expert interpretation of ETG results. This will show either an increase or decrease over time, but these results must be interpreted with full knowledge of limitations. ScreenSafe UK are also the only company that has a unique method that can help indicate total abstinence of 6 months or longer in a subject.

Diagnosis of excessive alcohol consumption is an important task from a medical/legal point of view. Markers of alcohol consumption are ethylglucuronide, and phosphatidylethanol or fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE). Detection of ethylglucuronide is always associated with alcohol consumption. FAEEs can be present through non-conventional alcohol consumption/exposure (including cosmetics).

ScreenSafe UK offer testing for both markers. We only offer our ETG test in isolation (i.e. without FAEE). We will not offer FAEEs in isolation (i.e. without ETG) as we believe FAEE results on their own can be misleading, which in turn will impact on our quality and reputation, which we are not prepared to jeopardize.

We always advise using alcohol in hair testing as part of a complete suite of evidence to enable correct interpretation, judgement and decisions to be made. It should be part of a long term screening exercise that could also include blood (CDT, LFT tests etc), urine and breath sampling - all of which are long standing services that we also provide.

During a High Court hearing before The Hon. Mr Justice Moylan (12/11/2010) the use of hair testing for Alcohol was questioned. In the case referred to, it was the interpretation of results by the experts involved that was at fault and not the analytical methods. It was also suggested that both ETG and FAEE results should be considered where appropriate.

It has always been our belief that quality of results and quality of our expert witness interpretation are vital to our clients, and that we must maintain our high standards to add value to legal and forensic cases.

This is why ScreenSafe UK has never had one of our reports successfully challenged.

Where child placement and safety is concerned, we believe there should be no question of sacrificing quality. Competent interpretation is paramount and a pre-requisite with ScreenSafe UK. What originally appears to be "the cheaper option" may not always be in the best interest of either the client or the state and definitely not the child(ren) involved.

Example Case Study

Two parents fighting for custody of their child, who had been taken into care, were requested to give a hair sample for alcohol analysis. A sample of head hair was taken from each parent under strict chain of custody conditions. The samples were analysed to determine if their alcohol abuse had reduced over the past three months. Results were shown on a segmented (month by month - 3x1cm) basis for ETG by sectioning the samples into 1cm sections. The results proved that the wife had a negative result, but as alleged the husband's alcohol in-take had remained at a chronic level over the tested period.

Our Drugs Testing and Alcohol Testing, Collection and Consultancy Services are accredited to ISO 9001/2008 standards and we guarantee that the laboratory services we provide to our customers are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards via internationally recognized bodies such as UKAS and COFRAC; a standard that only a handful of laboratories Worldwide can claim to achieve.

Our primary focus has always been on Quality not Quantity and, instead of just meeting minimum standards which are often left open to challenge, we have World leading authorities performing World leading analyses and guiding our team. Our results and/or procedures have never been successfully challenged, but our experts are experienced in successfully challenging the results and procedures of other UK providers and laboratories.

NOT ALL TESTING IS THE SAME. If quality matters, it is only common sense to choose ScreenSafe UK.

We will not sacrifice quality for cost. The laboratory's pioneering techniques are celebrated worldwide and lead the way where other's follow. In essence, our laboratory services can be approximately 3-4 years ahead of any UK laboratory. For example, our laboratory has been analyzing for Alcohol in hair for almost a decade now. Due to the high standing of the laboratory director, the laboratory has access and uses only leading edge technology equipment. This results in other UK laboratories often using our laboratory services where they cannot provide sensitive enough testing and analysis methods.

Our World leading quality and reputation means we are often the choice for "high profile" cases where dependability on results and expert witness is a pre-requisite. This has included successful challenges of hair analysis results provided by other companies (see "Expert Witness Service" section).

Do you need a professional, accurate, reliable service for stakeholders involved in family law and childcare requiring in-depth unique and detailed assessment, reporting, treatment and counselling services within the area of substance misuse? This is ScreenSafe UK's unique service - ASSIST©.

We believe we have the UK's highest levels of expertise in the assessment process, and it is the ASSIST© service that needs to be employed in order to produce child-centred and comprehensive risk evaluations in this area.

ScreenSafe UK will manage the whole process for you, from taking samples for drugs and alcohol testing, to providing in-depth, unique and detailed assessments for use by case-holders on the impact of any such substance use. We will also plan, manage and execute proven successful treatment services as and where required. For more information see the ASSIST©; section of our website.

ScreenSafe UK also provides a specialist psychiatrist service, specializing in the area of drug, alcohol and substance abuse. Referrals to this service often result in a higher level of understanding of how long term results may impact on an individual's life and their role in the family unit. See the "Specialist Psychiatric Services" section for further information. We can combine this with our ASSIST© service if required.

As part of our industry leading package, we also offer our own (non-subcontracted) professional, fully insured and competent collection service 24 hours a day, 365 days per year (see our section on "Collection Service"). Using this service will ensure a legally defensible Chain of Custody, guaranteeing that enough hair is taken and that forms are completed correctly. The collection service includes secure and traceable despatch of sample for next working day.

An "Expert Witness Statement" is usually required in most cases. This will provide essential support at court via a detailed explanation of positive results. With our World leading experts, our results interpretation is trusted both in the UK and Internationally. If you need further clarification or explanation then just ask. Our friendly UK team are on hand to assist you, at no extra charge, in every part of your case. An "attendance at court" service is also available if required.

NOT ALL TESTING IS THE SAME. If you or your client wishes to benefit from the highest quality of analysis and customer service available in the UK today - delivering accurate and reliable results and expert interpretation on time, then please contact our friendly, dedicated and professional Medico-Legal team on 08450 505590 or via email.

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Services on 08450 505590 or via email (enquiries@screensafeuk.co.uk) if you require any further help or assistance.

Hair Testing for Alcohol
Hair Quote request
Benefits
Why use us