Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1539233
MARIA'S dream to open her business is shackled by her med- ical history after the bank raised her risk profile for having suf- fered from cancer as a child. Little does it matter that Ma- ria, who is now 35 years old, was cured and has been can- cer-free for 24 years. Her story is not unique. Can- cer survivors speak of exorbi- tant life insurance costs when trying to take out home loans because they are deemed to be medically high risk. An addi- tional loading on the insurance premium of 150% seems to be standard fair. Now, Labour MP Amanda Spiteri Grech wants to intro- duce legislation that puts an end to what she insists is a dis- criminatory practice. "The loading on the insur- ance premium should not be applied if the person has been cured from cancer and years have passed without relapse," she says. She is determined to put for- ward a private member's bill in parliament that introduces "the right to be forgetten" for cancer survivors. And it's not just about ad- dressing the difficulty to access finance, she argues. "I want this right to cover employment as well so that in those jobs that require a medical test, the in- dividual will have no obligation to disclose a cancer diagnosis they were cured from many years prior," she says. Spiteri Grech is suggesting that a person who had cancer at 21 and over will be under no obligation to declare they had a cancer diagnosis after 10 years from the end of treatment. The period will be reduced to five years from the end of treatment for those who had the disease when they were under 21. Spiteri Grech added: "After passing through the physical and emotional ordeal of bat- tling cancer, being cured from it and not relapsing for years, why should someone continue to shoulder the burden as they move forward in life?" The initiative has its support- ers elsewhere in Europe where lobbying has resulted in legis- lation similar to the one being proposed by the Labour MP. At least six EU member states have taken legal measures to counter financial discrimina- tion against cancer survivors, including France, Belgium and Italy. Françoise Meunier, a medi- cal doctor and former Direc- tor-General of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EO- RTC), created the European Initiative on Ending Discrim- ination against Cancer Survi- vors. She set up the initiative after witnessing the hardship her former patients still faced after battling cancer as they tried to move on in life. Meunier has been advocating for change, demanding polit- ical action to protect cancer survivors from financial dis- crimination throughout Eu- rope. There is no common blue- print for legislation across the member states that have intro- duced the right to be forgotten for cancer survivors. According to the provisions in France, the Netherlands and Portugal, adults whose cancer diagnosis occurred before the age of 21 years would be for- gotten five years after the end of treatment. In Luxembourg and Romania the age is set at 18. The period is longer if the cancer was diagnosed at a later stage in life. Other provisions could also be in place and in some instances the laws also cover other diseases than can- cer such as Hepatitis C. According to Meunier, the common point remains the same: To protect cancer survi- vors against financial discrim- ination, after a specific period of time has passed. Spiteri Grech will be holding a discussion on her proposal on 10 September at the Justice Ministry during which she will launch a public consultation to receive feedback. "I have been talking to stake- holders, including insurance companies, and I want to con- tinue listening to cancer survi- vors and others who may have an interest in the initiative," she says. Anybody wishing to send feedback can do so on her of- ficial email address: amanda. spiteri.1@parlament.mt. 4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 SEPTEMBER 2025 NEWS LETTER OF INTENTION Mekanika Ltd. declares the intention for the company to register for an Employment Agency License in accordance to L.N. 270 of 2023 EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT (CAP.452) Employment Agencies Regulations, 2023. The activities proposed to be carried out focus on the provision of workers with a view to making them available to a third party including: 1. Temporary work services involve providing workers to a third party. 2. The third party assigns tasks to the temporary workers. 3. Outsourcing services involve providing workers to a third party. 4. The outsourcing agency, including contractors and subcontractors, supervises, directs, and controls the workers. Official Registered Address: Gasan Group Offices, Gasan Centre Level 4, Triq il-Merghat, Zone 1, Central Business District, Birkirkara, CBD1020 Company registered number: C3238 Labour MP preparing private member's bill ending financial discrimination against cancer survivors KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt 'The loading on the insurance premium should not be applied if the person has been cured from cancer and years have passed without relapse' Amanda Spiteri Grech