Doctors.net.uk, which has a membership of over 184,000 doctors, has been acquired by international online healthcare company M3 USA.

The largest and most active network of medical professionals in the country, Doctors.net.uk has an impressive reputation and 97% of its members saying it is their most trusted source of information. It was created in 1998 and more than 300 doctors act as advisers and clinical information contributors.

Doctors.net.uk's chief executive Richard Adams (pictured) said the network has "for some time been working towards adding a strong international footprint, comprising communities in key healthcare markets, to complement our leading position in the UK". He added that "we believe that to best serve our members and our client interests, being part of a larger, multinational organisation will bring enormous advances and benefits".

A spokesman for Doctors.net.uk told PharmaTimes World News that a number of other parties had expressed interest in the network but it had plumped for M3 due to its strong presence in the USA, Japan, Korea and Germany. He would not be drawn on how much has been paid, though Bloomberg claims the price is £13.4 million.

M3, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and owns MDLinx, the USA’s leading specialty physician portal, also acquired London-based EMS Research in November last year. It can now claim access to over 1.5 million doctors.

Chief executive Aki Tomaru said the Doctors.net.uk purchase is "a stepping stone for M3 to expand further into Europe and it signals our commitment to providing the life science industry full global access.”