French healthtech company Doctolib said it will appeal a €4.6 million fine imposed by France’s competition authority following a probe launched in 2019. The watchdog concluded the company engaged in anti-competitive practices tied to its online booking and teleconsultation services. Doctolib disputes the findings, arguing the decision reflects a misunderstanding of its business and market dynamics.
Background of the Case
The investigation stems from a 2019 complaint by Cegedim Santé, a long-standing software provider for healthcare professionals. Regulators examined Doctolib’s conduct in appointment booking, teleconsultation, and its 2018 acquisition of rival platform MonDocteur. Their review covered contract terms with practitioners, product tying concerns, and competitive effects from consolidation.
Details of the Watchdog’s Findings
Authorities said Doctolib “abusively exploited” a dominant position in online booking, citing a share covering over half of digital appointments in France, and as high as 90% in recent years. The decision also notes Doctolib represented about 40% of medical teleconsultations nationwide. Investigators highlighted exclusivity clauses in practitioner contracts through 2023 and the requirement to enroll in Doctolib’s booking system to access teleconsultation, which they said hindered rival services.
The MonDocteur Acquisition Under Scrutiny
Regulators also scrutinized Doctolib’s 2018 purchase of MonDocteur, described as a key competitor at the time. Internal documents reviewed by the authority indicated the deal would “kill” the MonDocteur product and could enable price increases of up to 20%. The fine reflects the cumulative weight of these findings across contracts, product bundling, and consolidation effects.
Doctolib’s Response and Appeal
Doctolib rejects the characterization of dominance, stating it equips about 30% of healthcare professionals in France today compared with roughly 10% at the time of the complaint. The company says it is a relatively new player in clinician software, smaller than several European competitors, and that its growth reflects product quality rather than foreclosure. It argues the integration between teleconsultation and the broader software suite is essential for clinical workflows, including access to patient records, prescription sharing, and billing.
Company’s Rationale on Contracts and M&A
Addressing contract practices, Doctolib says an exclusivity clause existed 11 years ago to prevent misuse of its tools rather than to lock in customers. The firm also contends that separating teleconsultation from its platform would create operational burdens for clinicians and care continuity risks for patients. On the MonDocteur acquisition, Doctolib calls it a routine combination of two small and medium-sized enterprises intended to accelerate innovation, noting MonDocteur served around 2% of practitioners at the time.
Market Context and Company Profile
Doctolib is among France’s most prominent tech companies, with a valuation previously reported at €5.8bn, and it has become integral to digital access to care. The company recently reported €348m in annual recurring revenue for 2024, and it serves 80m patients and 400k healthcare professionals across France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Its workforce totals about 2,900 employees spread across more than 30 cities, supporting an expanding suite that includes booking, teleconsultation, notetaking, and patient information management.
Implications for Practitioners and Patients
The case underscores the tension between integrated clinical software that streamlines care and competitive safeguards designed to keep markets open. If upheld, the decision could prompt changes to product tying, contract design, and interoperability standards in France’s digital health stack. For practitioners and patients, outcomes will affect how seamlessly tools connect appointment booking with clinical documentation, e-prescribing, and payments.
Doctolib’s appeal sets up a crucial test for how France will balance platform integration with competition in digital health. The appellate review will weigh the regulator’s evidence on exclusivity, tying, and acquisition intent against Doctolib’s claims about market share, workflow needs, and innovation benefits. Until then, the ruling adds scrutiny to a category that has rapidly become core infrastructure for European healthcare.