CariGenetics and Bayview Laboratory Partner to Launch Genetic Testing in Barbados

Bayview Laboratory has announced a strategic partnership with CariGenetics, a Bermuda-based genetics company, to expand access to genetic testing in Barbados. This collaboration brings a new era of personalised healthcare to the island, empowering Barbadians to take control of their health and wellness.

Through this initiative, Bayview Laboratory now offers a wide range of genetic tests, including paternity, familial, and ancestry testing, as well as nutrition, fitness, and skincare genetics, personality trait insights, medication guidance, and health risk analysis. Additionally, Barbadians will now have access to the region’s first gut microbiome analysis kit. Self-collection kits will soon be available at the lab and select pharmacies throughout the island.

Lab Director, Dr Lyndon Waterman, highlighted the importance of this new offering. “Your DNA provides valuable insights into the foods you should eat, how you should work out, and even which skincare routine works best for you. It can also identify predispositions to certain diseases and determine which medications are most effective for your body.”

Bayview Lab recently expanded its testing menu to include cholesterol, HbA1C, liver and kidney function tests, making genetic testing a natural next step in its commitment to advancing community health.

The Lab is proud to play its part in furthering CariGenetics’ mission to ensure the Caribbean’s genetic data is represented as part of the global genomic advances.  According to Founder & CEO of CariGenetics, Dr Carika Weldon, “The biggest problem we aim to address is the lack of diverse genomic data, particularly from the Caribbean region. Today, most medical research and drug development are based on European DNA, despite Europeans comprising only about 15% of the world’s population. This means medicine is not effectively designed for the remaining 85%.”

Dr Weldon further explained that limited diversity in clinical trials has real-world consequences, from less effective treatments to inequitable healthcare outcomes.

Together, Bayview Laboratory and CariGenetics are not only ensuring Barbadians have access to tests once only available overseas but are also building a secure and anonymous genomic database. This will help fill critical gaps in global research while shaping a future where the Caribbean’s genetic identity is fully represented. This partnership marks a milestone for Barbados and the wider Caribbean, placing the region at the forefront of personalised, data-driven healthcare.