Clune hails ‘right to be forgotten’ commitment as great news for cancer survivors.

“This is great news for survivors of cancer and other chronic diseases.”

That is the view of Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune following a commitment by the European Commission to enshrine the ‘Right To Be Forgotten’ in EU law.

The ‘Right to be Forgotten’ means people don’t have to disclose previous cancer diagnoses to banks and insurance companies, provided a certain time has elapsed since the end of their treatment.

Quizzed by MEP Clune at a recent European Parliament Committee meeting, John Ryan, the Commission’s Director for Public Health, Cancer and Health Security reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to developing an EU-wide code of conduct.

This is designed to prevent financial discrimination and increase the rights of former cancer patients and survivors of other non-communicable diseases.

MEP Clune is now urging the Commission to revise the Mortgage Credit Directive to include similar provisions against unfairly penalising cancer survivors.

“It is great news for cancer patients and survivors that the European Commission will be pursuing a code of conduct for insurance and financial service providers.

I now want to see all the EU institutions and Member States, including Ireland press financial service providers to develop such practices, so as not to discriminate against cancer patients and survivors and to finally level the playing field.

This will mark the first time the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ for cancer survivors will be enshrined into EU law but now is the time to go further and for the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ to be extended to include mortgages.

Importantly, Mr Ryan also acknowledged that the Right to be Forgotten should not necessarily be limited to cancer patients and cancer survivors, which will be of welcome news to those who suffer from other non-communicable diseases.”