Under the Law nr. 293/2022 for preventing and fighting cancer, cancer patients are ensured integrated services, medical, social and psychological services, from preventive to palliative care. The law also approves a national action plan that includes the development of professional standards and trainings of psychologists in psycho-oncology, as at that time there were no psychologists specifically trained for assisting patients with cancer.
Since 2024, psychological services for cancer patients were included in the benefit package covered by the health insurance system and currently any licensed psychologist can be reimbursed for providing services to oncology patients when they are referred to a physician specialist in oncology, oncological surgery, haematology, paediatric haematology, radiotherapy or palliative care.
To speed up the process of developing psycho-oncology as a sub-specialty, and provide higher quality services to patients, a recent government decision states that from 1 July 2026 only psychologists specialized in psycho-oncology will be allowed to provide psychological services to cancer patients.