Starting in August 2026, Doctolib, a leading French medical appointment platform, will utilize the health data of over 50 million patients to develop artificial intelligence (AI) tools aimed at enhancing healthcare services. This initiative, announced in July 2026, is a collaboration with the National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation (Inria), the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), and the University of Paris Cité.
The project seeks to improve patient care by identifying health risks earlier and streamlining treatment processes. Data involved includes medical histories, treatments, diagnoses, and documents such as prescriptions and health questionnaires. Notably, the data will be pseudonymized, meaning personal identifiers will be replaced with codes, though re-identification remains possible. Patients have the option to opt out by submitting a form to Doctolib.
This approach has sparked discussions regarding data privacy and consent. Critics argue that the opt-out system may not be sufficiently transparent, as patients are automatically included unless they actively choose to withdraw. Doctolib maintains that the project complies with French data protection regulations and aims to advance healthcare through AI.
The collaboration between Doctolib and these institutions underscores a growing trend of integrating AI into healthcare to enhance service quality and efficiency. As the project progresses, it will be important to monitor its impact on patient care and data privacy.