European Commissioner calls for fairness from insurers and banks

European Commissioner Stella Kyriakides has spoken out on behalf of cancer patients, saying that it is “unacceptable” that those with a history of cancer should face stigma and financial challenges including limited access to mortgages and loans.

Speaking at an EU webinar, the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety said that in many member states “there are persons who have been cancer free for more than ten years and who are still facing obstacles in accessing financial services”.

She announced the publication of a new study examining financial fairness for people with cancer, and assessing the state of access to financial products in EU Member States. And she launched an EU-wide process to address the “right to be forgotten” in all Member States, a commitment in Europe's Beating Cancer Plan.

“We will talk and we will listen to the insurance and financial sector about EU-level policy actions and we will work together to find common ground,” she said. “Ultimately, we want to help insurers and banks better assess the creditworthiness or insurance risk of cancer survivors.”