European cancer survivor privacy rights legislation

Legislative efforts to establish a ‘right to be forgotten’ for cancer survivors have emerged in Europe to prevent discrimination in insurance and other sectors.

In Germany, the states of Lower Saxony, Bremen, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern introduced a resolution in the Bundesrat. This initiative requests federal regulations to ensure individuals are not required to disclose past diagnoses once medically justified time periods have passed. Lower Saxony Health Minister Dr. Andreas Philippi described the move as a step toward “social participation and equal opportunity.”

In Greece, Development Minister Takis Theodorakakos announced that the government will implement similar legislation starting November 20. The Greek policy establishes a five-year threshold following the completion of treatment, after which a previous diagnosis will no longer be considered for insurance coverage related to consumer loyalty. The government opted for this five-year period to provide survivors with a “new beginning with equal opportunities.”