Malta enshrines ‘right to be forgotten’ for cured cancer patients
Government and opposition MPs unanimously approved the law on Monday
Cancer survivors have officially been granted the 'right to be forgotten' after parliament unanimously approved a law on Monday aimed at protecting former patients from employment and financial discrimination.
The law means that cancer survivors will no longer need to declare their diagnosis for jobs or financial services after 10 years from the end of treatment, or five years if diagnosed before the age of 21.
The bill, which was tabled as a private member's bill by government MP Amanda Spiteri Grech late last year, garnered the support of all government and opposition MPs in a final vote taken on Monday.
The new law aims to protect cancer survivors from discrimination in employment and when seeking financial services, such as being charged higher insurance premiums or outrightly refused coverage, even when they are fully cured and leading stable, productive lives.
The legislation addresses a long-standing grievance where survivors, despite being medically cleared for years, were treated as high-risk liabilities by banks and insurers.
By establishing a legal "right to be forgotten," the law effectively erases the requirement to disclose past illness once the clearing period of 10 years, or five years for minors, has passed.
After that period, survivors will not be obliged to share details of past diagnoses, and employers and financial service providers will not be legally empowered to request such information from the survivors or other sources.
The law also has retroactive powers. For any financial agreements already in place, an individual’s cancer history must be erased and ignored the moment the 10-year or 5-year time limit is reached.
A new review board, comprised of two medical specialists and a lawyer, will also be established to hear and decide on disputes that may arise.
Survivors have previously spoken up about being priced out of the property market due to exorbitant life insurance costs.
Others say they were passed over for promotions or long-term career roles because their employers feared they were at greater risk of falling ill again and would be unable to fulfil their duties.
Malta now joins a small group of EU nations, including France and Italy, in enshrining this right in the law.