Mulino signs cancer “right to be forgotten” law barring discriminatory financial clauses

Panama has joined the countries recognizing a “right to be forgotten” for cancer survivors. President José Raúl Mulino signed Law 547, dated Sept. 8, 2026, protecting people who have completed treatment and remained free of recurrence for at least five years.

Under the law, survivors will not have to declare their previous illness when seeking banking, credit or insurance services. Financial companies will be prohibited from imposing special clauses, restrictions, exclusions, premium increases or other forms of discrimination because of cancer diagnosed before a contract was signed.

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Panama joins with a vision that understands a person cannot remain conditioned forever by having had an illness they managed to overcome

The measure also carries the signature of Commerce and Industries Minister Julio Moltó, who said Panama had joined a cause supported by 30 other countries. “Panama joins with a vision that understands a person cannot remain conditioned forever by having had an illness they managed to overcome,” Moltó said at a news conference.

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Overcoming cancer represents one of the hardest challenges a person can face, and after this struggle, the least that should be done is to allow them to move forward

He described overcoming cancer as one of the hardest challenges a person can face and said survivors should be able to move forward. The law, he said, should allow them to consider applying for home loans, buying goods, obtaining life and hospital insurance, and starting businesses.

“Having had cancer cannot become a lifelong financial sentence, and this law puts an end to that,” Moltó said.

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Having had cancer cannot become a lifelong financial sentence, and this law puts an end to that