Blog
Are drugs consistent with declared usage?
Hair strand testing is uniquely positioned to provide valuable insight and precise identification for patterns of substance use across a wide-range of legal and medical purposes. methods of analysis, such as analysing individual segments of hair allow for historic pattern analysis but can have... Read More
DNA Testing in Wills, Inheritance, and Estate Disputes
Losing a loved one is a difficult and testing time for most, without the added emotional distress of your biological relationship coming into question. When it comes to claims being made on the estate of the deceased, on some occasions a DNA test will be required. Due to the Wills, Trusts, and... Read More
How to change a name on a birth certificate
Within 42 days of birth, parents in the UK are obliged to register their new child. Typically, this is done at the hospital where the child was born, however, in cases such as home births, or where the child’s name has not yet been decided, the parents can visit a local register office at a later... Read More
What is a toxicology report and how to get one?
Toxicology, the study of the effects of drugs, chemicals, poisons, and other substances on living organisms, is a very interesting field that can have major implications in the legal world. Thanks to the expert work of toxicologists and their toxicology reports, the samples of hair, urine, blood,... Read More
A Guide to Ketamine Drug Testing
Ketamine is a class B drug under the UK Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and it is illegal to possess, supply, or produce ketamine. If caught with ketamine, you could face up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. Supplying ketamine could land you in jail for up to 14 years. Ketamine is... Read More
Drug Metabolites (Part 5) Cannabis Case Study
Cannabis Case Study The donor advised that he has never consumed cannabis, but is in an environment where cannabis is frequently smoked. Participant - Adult male Type of testing - Hair strand testing (HST) Detection period - 3 months approximately (overview) Results: Table 1:... Read More
Drug Metabolites (Part 4): Child Cocaine Case Study
Cocaine Case Study The child is suspected of being in an environment where cocaine is frequently being consumed. Background: Participant - Child (Age 4) Type of testing - Hair strand testing (HST) Detection period - 4 months (segmented) Discussion: Cocaine... Read More
Drug Metabolites (Part 3): Cocaine Case Study
Cocaine Case Study The mother is trying to prove the cessation of cocaine in order to reinstate custody of her child. Background: Participants - Mother Type of testing - Hair strand testing (HST) Detection period - 3 months (segmented) No chemical... Read More
Drug testing: Drug Metabolites (Part 2)
In part 1 we touched on how metabolites assist in interpreting results, so this week we are going to look at this in more detail, and how a few common drugs and their metabolites can tell us about patterns of usage. We will follow this up in part 3 with a case study to illustrate how we at DNA... Read More
Drug testing: Drug Metabolites (Part 1)
What is a metabolite? When a drug has been consumed, the body breaks down the drug, in order to eliminate the drug from the body. During this “breakdown” chemical alteration to the main drug occurs and therefore creates a different substance; a metabolite. Drug metabolites are helpful in... Read More
Alcohol Blood Testing: Hair strand testing combined with PEth
Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in the blood is a highly specific, stable, and sensitive marker that is capable of distinguishing between teetotallers, social, chronic and excessive drinking behaviour. It is considered a direct biomarker of alcohol meaning it is only produced after someone has... Read More
Alcohol Blood Testing: Traditional Vs PEth Testing
Traditional Tests Include 1. Liver Function Testing (LFT) is a medical test used to assess the health of the liver. When chronic excessive alcohol levels have been consumed, it can cause the liver to be damaged. Therefore, analysing the health of the liver can help to determine whether an... Read More