Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to introduce a "right to be forgotten" law, aimed at protecting cancer survivors from discrimination by financial institutions and adoption agencies. This initiative seeks to address the challenges faced by over 900,000 cancer survivors in Italy who may encounter obstacles when applying for loans, insurance, or adoption due to their medical history.
Meloni affirmed the government's commitment to reviewing draft legislation on the right to be forgotten and has directed Health Minister Orazio Schillaci to oversee its parliamentary progress. The goal is to swiftly implement a law that provides solutions to this significant issue impacting numerous Italian citizens.
Under the proposed legislation, recovered cancer patients would have the option to withhold information about their previous illness from financial entities and adoption services, provided a period of five to ten years has elapsed since the conclusion of their treatment. The Italian Medical Oncology Association (AIOM), a strong advocate for this reform, points to similar laws already enacted in France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal.
