Several Internet users and health professionals criticize Doctolib for offering appointments with “practitioners” of alternative medicine. Faced with the controversy, the platform suspended profiles of controversial practitioners.
- Since 2013, Doctolib has listed health professionals whose activity is recognized by the Public Health Code.
- “Appointments with practitioners practicing alternative doctors represent 0.3% of all appointments made on Doctolib”, according to the company.
Since Friday, Doctolib has been in turmoil. On social networks, especially Twitter, the hashtag #Doctolib was at the top of the trends and accumulated multiple negative comments. Many Internet users and health professionals denounce the presence of “practitioners” and followers of unrecognized medicines on the platform.
Clearly, users can make an appointment with naturopaths, iridologists, hypnotherapists or even sophrologists, who have not obtained a state diploma and practice an unregulated profession. As a reminder, these alternative medicines have not been scientifically proven. These are unconventional practices with a therapeutic aim, which are sometimes accused of excesses and can prove to be dangerous.
“Their activity is legal but they are not health professionals”
In the face of heavy criticism, the company published a series of messages on Twitteron August 21, for “answer the questions raised” by internet users. “97% of practitioners who use Doctolib are listed with the Ministry of Health. 3% of our users carry out an activity in the field of well-being or medico-social. Their activity is legal but they are of course not health professionals”, can we read.
17 suspended naturopath profiles
On August 22, the company indicated to theAFP, that it had suspended 17 profiles of naturopaths, including those of Irène Grosjean and Thierry Casasnovas who are highly criticized because of their methods. Doctolib has announced that it has “committed to substantive work” with the site’s medical committee, the orders and health professionals.
