A significant shift in financial discrimination against cancer survivors is set to take place in Belgium. Starting in January 2025, the maximum waiting period for cancer survivors to exercise their “right to be forgotten” will be reduced from eight years to five.
This legislative change is a crucial step towards fairness for the growing number of cancer survivors across Europe. However, a new study published on 14 August in Lancet Oncology highlights that much work remains to be done in Europe to protect survivors from financial discrimination.
“Surviving cancer is an enormous achievement, but for many, the struggle doesn’t end there,” Dr. Meunier, a vocal advocate for change and founder of the Ending Discrimination Against Cancer Survivors initiative told Euractiv.
The struggle for fair treatment
With 20 million cancer survivors across Europe, the challenges they face in accessing financial services are well-documented. Discriminatory practices in granting loans, mortgages, and insurance policies create unnecessary hurdles for individuals to return to normalcy.
A study co-authored by Belgian medical doctor Françoise Meunier underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive European legal framework to address these inequities.
“Financial discrimination adds an unjust burden on cancer survivors, making it harder for them to rebuild their lives,” Meunier says.
A patchwork of legislation
Currently, only eight EU Member States have enacted laws related to the right to be forgotten, leading to varied experiences for cancer survivors depending on their location.
In Belgium, the upcoming legislative change, reducing the waiting period from eight years to five, is considered the gold standard by the scientific community and patients, supported by the French experience, the first country where the right to be forgotten takes effect five years after the end of treatment.
However, in countries like Romania, Portugal, Cyprus, Italy, and Spain, implementation has been uneven or ineffective, leaving many survivors without adequate protection.
In Greece, last April, the Hellenic Association of Insurance Companies presented the Code of Conduct to ensure the right to be forgotten of cancer survivors in life contracts linked to any type of loan, ten years after treatment (five if the cancer was diagnosed before adulthood).
It is a self-commitment document for insurance companies and not legislation despite being co-drafted with the Ministry of Finance and the Cancer Federation. All members of the association that issue life insurance signed the Code.
“France, Belgium, and the Netherlands have demonstrated that successful models exist,” Professor Meunier notes. “Other countries should replicate these to ensure effectiveness and avoid unnecessary reinvention.”
Pushing for broader European action
Despite progress in individual Member States, a comprehensive European solution remains elusive.
The European Commission organised several roundtables with European cancer patient organisations and financial institutions last year and earlier this year.
However, no final agreement was reached as to the number of years after which the right to be forgotten should apply. Prof. Meunier believes some stakeholders are still negotiating.
While the EU’s Consumer Credit Directive does include the right to be forgotten, it only covers certain financial services and imposes a delay of up to 15 years, which is far too long to benefit most survivors. Dr. Meunier and other advocates are calling for stronger, more inclusive legislation at the European level.
“A European Code of Conduct is in the works as part of the Beating Cancer Plan, but this is not enough,” Dr. Meunier argues. “A Code of Conduct is not binding; it merely suggests desired behaviour. What we need is dedicated legislation that fully addresses the financial discrimination cancer survivors face across all financial services.”
A call for consistency
As Belgium prepares to reduce the waiting period for cancer survivors, the importance of aligning with medical advancements becomes increasingly evident. The Belgian legislation’s list of exceptions, updated every two years, reflects medical progress by shortening delays for specific cancer types. This approach ensures that the right to be forgotten remains relevant and up-to-date.
The recent inclusion of shorter delays for certain breast cancers, following a study by Belgium’s Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE), exemplifies how scientific research can directly influence policy.
“Incorporating medical progress into legislation is crucial,” Dr. Meunier insists. “Legislators must allocate sufficient resources to continuously revise the recommendations to reflect the latest scientific advancements.”
Sharing best practices
In February 2024, Prof. Dr. Meunier organised a High-Level Conference under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Key demands from speakers included the need to devise European legislation and share best practices.
“We proposed that representatives from countries with legislation share their lessons learned with those to develop policies through a dedicated European network,” said Meunier. She believes this is the only way to create effective policies that truly protect cancer survivors without resorting to trial and error, she said “Most of the work has already been done.”
Prof. Dr. Meunier remains committed to advocating for European legislation adding: “In parallel, I will continue promoting the issue country-by-country to ensure cancer survivors receive protection as soon as possible.”
[By Nicole Verbeeck, Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi, Brian Maguire | Euractiv’s Advocacy Lab]
Source link : https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/belgium-reduces-waiting-period-for-cancer-survivors-right-to-be-forgotten/
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Publish date : 2024-08-26 07:00:00
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