Investigation launched after Greek singer Giorgos Mazonakis dies at private clinic

Athens, Greece. Police, prosecutors and the Athens medical association (ISA) have inspected the private clinic where Greek singer Giorgos Mazonakis suffered cardiac arrest on Thursday and later died.

Clinic licensing under review

The investigation is expected to examine whether the clinic held the required licences and whether the medical procedures carried out there were authorised.

An ISA committee also visited the clinic to determine whether equipment for plasmapheresis was available.

ISA findings

ISA president George Patoulis told Greek broadcaster ERT that the clinic was licensed as a pathology clinic and was not authorised to carry out plasmapheresis.

He said no plasmapheresis machine was recorded in the clinic’s file.

Patoulis said the clinic operated with a pathologist and a non-specialist doctor who, according to him, practised preventive and holistic medicine.

He described plasmapheresis as a specialised procedure requiring certified equipment and trained medical staff capable of assessing patients and managing possible complications.

Medical emergency

The investigation follows the death of Mazonakis, 54, after he suffered cardiac arrest at the clinic.

Greek media reported that he had attended a private stem cell clinic and suffered the arrest after an intravenous catheter was inserted.

He was taken by ambulance to Elpis Hospital within minutes, where doctors continued cardiopulmonary resuscitation but were unable to revive him.