Giorgos Mazonakis, 54, star of popular Greek song, died Wednesday of cardiac arrest during plasma exchange, a treatment used to remove toxic elements from the blood that cause a pathology.
Used to treat various pathologies, including autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, plasma exchange is increasingly used as an anti-aging treatment. The death of the Greek star has raised questions about the framework regulating the activity of private clinics offering anti-aging treatments in the country.
The two doctors, a couple, denied any responsibility for the death and claimed that Mazonakis had lost consciousness before treatment began.
Anti-aging clinics, a “gray zone”
Released after being questioned on Wednesday, the couple were arrested on Thursday after police discovered apparent inconsistencies in their statements.
Contrary to the claims of the two doctors, it appears that the treatment was already underway when the singer lost consciousness.
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis acknowledged that the framework governing anti-aging clinics in Greece was “a gray area” that needed to be reassessed.
“Currently there is no framework,” he told Action24 TV. “This medical field is evolving rapidly, surpassing existing laws,” he emphasized.
“This activity was illegal”
Several officials stressed that plasma exchange is a complex and sometimes risky procedure that requires the presence of a complete medical team, and which is not the responsibility of a private clinic.
“It is absolutely certain that this activity was illegal,” Mr. Georgiadis told public television TV ΕΡΤ on Friday. “It is prohibited to perform (plasma exchange) outside of a hospital environment,” he said.
The doctor couple’s lawyer, Nikos Agapinos, told the press that it was a “legal clinic with properly registered equipment.” Mazonakis was one of Greece’s best-known pop stars, with numerous hits to his credit over a career spanning more than three decades. He was due to give a concert in Athens on September 30.
