Doctors barred in one EU country are getting licenses to work in another

An investigation by news outlets De Tijd, Le Monde, and France Télévision has found that doctors removed from the medical register in one European Union country are obtaining licenses to work in another. The probe identified four French doctors barred from practising in France who later obtained permits in Belgium.

One case involved a 65-year-old French cardiologist. He was convicted in April 2024 of sexually assaulting his patients in France. Despite this conviction, he secured a job at Iris Hospitals South in Brussels. The hospital group said it was unaware of his criminal record until journalists contacted them about the investigation.

Iris Hospitals South stated it had followed standard procedures. The hospital checked the cardiologist's credentials with Belgium's Federal Public Service for Health and the Order of Physicians. "The hospital had no legal basis, or any indication whatsoever, that would allow it to identify or suspect such a situation," hospital spokesperson Céline Barcham said. After learning of his past from the journalists, the hospital terminated his employment.

The investigation highlights gaps in how EU member states share information about doctors who have been struck off or disciplined. While Belgium and France both have regulatory systems for medical professionals, the cases show that removal from one country's register does not automatically prevent a doctor from practising elsewhere in the union.

The findings suggest EU countries may need to improve coordination on sharing records of disciplined doctors to protect patients across borders.