People who have had cancer or are dealing with other serious illnesses often face a dual challenge. First, there is the disease itself and the lengthy treatment process. Parallel to that, they may experience uncertainty in securing their livelihoods. Banks and insurance companies sometimes impose difficult or even unaffordable conditions on financial services—for instance, refusing to grant a loan or offering life insurance only at prohibitively high rates.
To address this issue, several countries have introduced the so-called “right to be forgotten.” This legal provision, rooted in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), stipulates that after a certain time period—usually two to ten years from the diagnosis—institutions must not take a patient’s past health status into account. Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Cyprus, France, Spain, and—most recently—Slovenia are among the countries that have adopted laws to this effect.
Slovenia made a significant stride by enacting legislation that guarantees equal access to credit and insurance products for individuals who have recovered from cancer or other serious illnesses. Passed a few weeks ago, this law specifies that, after the prescribed time period has elapsed, banks and insurers may no longer examine previous medical records. As a result, people treated for cancer can now apply for financial products on the same terms as any other client.
Experts see this as a major step forward in combating discrimination. Once patients complete treatment and return to their everyday activities, they deserve equal opportunities to take out loans, purchase life insurance, and continue living their lives without additional barriers. As patient associations emphasize, this is the only way society can truly give a second chance to those who have bravely faced serious illness.
