Drug, alcohol and DNA testing from Lextox
Did you know our drug, alcohol and DNA testing is legally defensible in court?
At Lextox, we provide an extensive range of testing to help determine a history of drug and alcohol use in family law cases. We know budgets are under immense pressure within local authorities, so we want to work with you to ensure you choose the right testing for your next instruction.
Lextox services
Scalp hair grows at an average rate of one cm per month. This means we can perform a hair strand drug test and analyse it for drug use as far back as the hair strand allows. For example, if a three-month retrospective analysis is required, a three cm section of scalp hair will be used.
When a drug enters the body, it is transported via the blood stream and incorporated into the hair follicle. As the hair grows, it incorporates trace amounts of drugs into the hair strand and so we analyse the hair strand for these drug traces.
Depending on your needs, our hair strand test analysis can provide a month-by-month analysis or overview analysis.
Our hair strand testing for alcohol detects two types of markers; ethyl palmitate (EtPa) and ethyl glucuronide (EtG) as standard. These markers are ‘by-products’ created by the body in the presence of alcohol, therefore, allowing us to assess alcohol consumption.
Hair can provide alcohol detection for many months and grows at an average rate of one cm per month. For example, if a three-month retrospective analysis is required, a three cm section of scalp hair will be used. We can provide analysis for up to six months. We can also analyse smaller sections for the presence of EtPa and EtG but the results should be interpreted with caution.
We offer blood test for alcohol, tests for liver function (LFT), carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) and phosphatidylethanol (PEth).
No single test is able to provide a definitive assessment of alcohol use and so we recommend that hair alcohol testing is used in conjunction with either CDT and LFT or PEth blood tests.
Liver function testing (LFT)
A liver function test provides a snapshot of potential liver damage due to excessive alcohol use by monitoring biomarkers in the blood stream. Any damage to the liver alters the biomarkers in the blood stream allowing any impairment to be highlighted.
Carbohydrate deficient transferrin test (CDT)
CDT measures the percentage of the protein transferrin that is deficient in carbohydrate. Alcohol consumption can interfere with the binding of carbohydrate molecules to transferrin and so excessive alcohol use two to four weeks prior to the test can elevate levels of transferrin that is deficient in carbohydrate, making it a good marker to assess alcohol consumption.
Phosphatidyethanol (PEth)
PEth is a direct biomarker found in red blood cell membranes following alcohol consumption. This test isn’t affected by medication or health problems and provides a detection period of up to four weeks prior to sample collection.
At Lextox, we provide a wide range of DNA testing options:
Paternity
Resolves any doubt relating to the paternity of a child. The test works by comparing the DNA profile of a child with the profiles of their mother and alleged father.
Maternity
Used to determine whether a woman is the biological mother of a child. Like a paternity test, the maternity test works by comparing the DNA profile of a child, the alleged mother and, when available, the child’s father.
Prenatal
Accurate and non-invasive way to determine paternity prior to a child’s birth and means that care plans can be put in place ahead of the birth.
Sibling
Verifies whether two alleged siblings are full or half siblings.
Granparentage
Determines whether a child is biologically related to the alleged grandparents
SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring® is an innovative way of testing alcohol consumption over a set period of time. The alcohol testing bracelet allows for 24/7 testing through scientifically proven technology and is the first of its kind.
The alcohol testing bracelet provides information on alcohol excreted through the skin every 30 minutes. Therefore, a pattern of use can be identified over a set period of time (typically 30, 60 or 90 days). Whilst complete abstinence is unable to be confirmed, very low alcohol consumption can be determined. In comparison, a hair alcohol test is useful in showing a historic profile of an individual’s chronic excessive alcohol consumption over a period of months.
The SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring ® bracelet is also able to distinguish the difference between consumed alcohol and external environmental sources, such as the use of products containing alcohol. It also contains tamper-proof technology that can detect attempts of tampering or obstruction. Every 30 days of the testing period, our experts prepare a report detailing the alcohol consumption events or any attempts to tamper or obstruct the bracelet.
Nails are made up of the same biological material as hair (keratin) and when drugs or alcohol are consumed, they enter the blood stream and incorporate into the nail.
We can detect the standard 17 drug panel we test for in hair, excluding NPS, spice, steroids and anti-epileptics. The alcohol marker EtG can also be tested in nail samples, alongside our recommended blood alcohol tests.
Due to the way nails grow and the available nail that can be collected, the analysis can only be undertaken on an overview basis. A fingernail clipping can cover up to approximately six months of substance use history, whereas a toenail can cover up to 12-18 months use.
Analysis is carried out in partnership with a UK laboratory.
Our expert reports are written by our own team of laboratory experts. We can also provide expert witnesses to attend court to explain test results, including the sample analysis and chain of custody.
Why choose Lextox?
We have a team of dedicated client managers, ready to advise you on testing options, sample collections, pricing and much more. Our client managers provide a hassle-free, fully managed service from the moment you instruct us so you can devote more time to your casework. It’s like having an extra member of your team.
The only item you need on your check list is a Lextox client manager.
