There are now millions of cancer survivors across Europe.

With better systems in place now for early detection, the number of survivors is increasing by 3% every year.

It’s great news for anyone battling the disease, however, many cancer survivors face discrimination when accessing financial services such as mortgages and insurances.

Now Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune is calling for equal access to financial services for cancer survivors, including the right to be forgotten, which would mean insurance or loan contracts would no longer need cancer-related medical information that’s more than ten years old.

“There is estimated to be over 12 million cancer survivors in Europe including around 300,000 childhood cancer survivors,” said Clune.

“Often when applying for insurance, cancer survivors can be asked to disclose their full medical history. This could lead to increased insurance premiums.”

Figures show that around 20% of five-year cancer survivors younger than 50 years are not able to get life insurance.

With the publication of the European Commission’s EU’s Beating Cancer plan last week alongside the establishment of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer in the European Parliament, the momentum for tackling the issue of cancer has never been stronger, said MEP Clune. The Commission has committed to working with financial services to ensure fairness in this area.

What is the right to be forgotten?

The right to be forgotten for cancer survivors consists of a proposal of a legal provision ensuring transparency and the interest of former cancer patients in accessing financial instruments.

The exclusion of cancer survivors to contract life insurances or other financial instruments makes property ownership difficult in some EU countries. Four EU member states have adopted legal measures to counter financial discrimination against cancer survivors – Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Under new laws in Belgium pertaining to the right to be forgotten, insurance or loan contracts no longer need cancer-related medical information that’s more than ten years old. For cancers before the age of 18 years of age, the limit is five years.

“We need to focus on issues facing cancer patients and survivors. It’s time for an EU-wide right to be forgotten for cancer survivors and to do that we need to have legislation that is applicable across the EU,” added MEP Clune.