New EU directives grant cancer survivors greater financial protection, with Lithuania implementing rules in 2026.
🔗 Read the article on delfi.lt
[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]
Some European countries are already providing broader legal protection for people affected by cancer. In Lithuania, new rules will take effect on October 20, 2026, implementing EU directives to prevent discrimination against those with oncological diseases in financial services. Specifically, when assessing insurance risk related to consumer credit contracts, personal data about a previously diagnosed oncological illness cannot be used if more than ten years have passed since the end of medical treatment. However, this rule is limited to consumer credit insurance and does not cover mortgages or general life/private health insurance. Furthermore, it does not guarantee loan approval, and it does not apply to existing consumer credit agreements. The issue of financial access for cancer survivors is not new in Lithuania, with patient organizations having raised concerns for years. At the EU level, the European Commission has promoted the right to forget oncological illness as a way to reduce discrimination, leading to the 2023 EU Consumer Credit Directive, which allows member states to set a time limit (Lithuania chose ten years). Other EU countries have different regulations; for example, France has a five-year limit, and Italy’s limit varies based on age, cancer type, and stage. Spain implemented a five-year rule in 2023, allowing individuals not to disclose past diagnoses for insurance or consumer contracts after five years if the illness has not recurred. Despite these measures, challenges remain, as shown by surveys in Spain indicating ongoing difficulties in private insurance.
