The oncological Right to be forgotten and access to credit: Legal pathways from financial exclusion to inclusion for Cancer Survivors

Abstract

The right to be forgotten for cancer survivors, established in Italy by Law No. 193/2023, constitutes a legal instrument aimed at eliminating discrimination in access to credit and financial services for individuals cured of oncological diseases. This national provision is embedded in a broader normative framework, ranging from the GDPR to Directive (EU) 2023/2225, which strengthens the multilayered protection of substantive equality and sensitive data. Such legal developments redefine the balance between risk management needs of financial operators and the fundamental rights of former patients, fostering a more inclusive vision of financial markets. Nonetheless, critical issues remain, concerning both the duration of the protection periods and the narrow scope of beneficiaries, highlighting the necessity of extending safeguards to other medical conditions exposed to comparable forms of discrimination.