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Doctolib fined €4.6 million for abusing dominant market position

Thursday 06 November 2025 - 12:30

By: Sahili Aya

Doctolib fined €4.6 million for abusing dominant market position

French online medical appointment platform Doctolib has been fined €4.6 million by the French Competition Authority for abusing its dominant position in the market. The fine, representing nearly 10% of Doctolib’s French revenue, follows a complaint filed eight years ago by direct competitor Cegedim. The company has announced it will appeal the ruling.

Since 2017, Doctolib has held a dominant position in both the online appointment booking market and teleconsultation services, with a market share ranging from 70% to 90%. The Competition Authority noted that its brand recognition in France rivals that of Amazon, Netflix, and Google.

While holding a dominant position is not illegal in itself, the Authority found that Doctolib abused it in several ways. It initially imposed exclusivity clauses on medical practitioners, preventing them from using competitors’ software—a practice the company claims it ended two years ago. The Authority also ruled that Doctolib leveraged teleconsultation services to strengthen its grip on the appointment booking market, requiring doctors who wished to offer teleconsultations through Doctolib to subscribe to its full software suite. The company argued that only 0.4% of searches concern teleconsultation, and patients primarily look for specific doctors.

Additionally, the acquisition of competitor Mondocteur in 2018 was cited as a further abuse. The Authority ruled that this move effectively eliminated a main competitor, allowing Doctolib to consolidate control over the national online appointment market and increase prices. The company argued that this sets a concerning precedent for France’s start-up ecosystem, potentially undermining the ability of young companies to grow.