The investigation into the death of Giorgos Mazonakis is increasingly focusing on two key questions: the plasmapheresis treatment the singer was scheduled to receive and the licensing status of the Stem Cell clinic in Kolonaki where he suffered cardiac arrest.
According to reports, Mazonakis visited the clinic on Wednesday afternoon for a pre-arranged treatment session. He had reportedly attended the facility the previous day, with the procedure scheduled for 9 September.
During the preparation stage, after a venous catheter had been inserted, Mazonakis is said to have experienced severe chest pain before suffering cardiac arrest.
Staff at the clinic immediately began CPR, with resuscitation efforts later continued by ambulance crews and doctors at Elpis Hospital. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Investigators examine plasmapheresis procedure
A central aspect of the inquiry concerns the plasmapheresis treatment itself.
Plasmapheresis is a recognised medical procedure used in the treatment of certain haematological, neurological, renal and autoimmune conditions.
The process involves blood passing through specialised equipment, where plasma is separated from other blood components and replaced with an appropriate fluid before the blood cells are returned to the patient's body.
Because the procedure can carry risks, including low blood pressure, calcium imbalances, allergic reactions and cardiac arrhythmias, it requires specialised equipment, trained personnel and continuous patient monitoring.
As a result, investigators are examining not whether plasmapheresis is a lawful medical treatment, but whether the facility had both the necessary capability and authorisation to perform it.
Health minister raises licensing questions
Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis has intervened publicly in the case, stating that the facility held a licence to operate as a standard pathology clinic but not a licence to carry out plasmapheresis procedures.
He has also requested that the Athens Medical Association investigate both the clinic's operating conditions and the circumstances surrounding the singer's cardiac arrest.
Under Greek healthcare regulations, different categories of private medical facilities are licensed for different activities, meaning a licence to operate a medical practice does not automatically permit every type of medical procedure.
Doctors released as investigation continues
The clinic's owner and his wife, who is also a doctor, were released after providing statements to police.
Their lawyer, Nikos Agapinos, said authorities are continuing to collect evidence, including witness testimony from employees and findings from an inspection of the premises.
According to reports, the clinic owner has argued that he was not personally involved in the treatment and that responsibility for patient care and procedures rested with his wife.
Key questions remain unanswered
Investigators are now attempting to establish a detailed timeline of events leading up to the cardiac arrest.
Among the issues under examination is whether the plasmapheresis procedure had actually begun or whether Mazonakis remained in the preparation phase when he collapsed.
Authorities note that the insertion of a catheter alone does not prove that plasma exchange had commenced.
The most critical question remains whether there was any causal relationship between the medical actions taken and the cardiac arrest. That determination is expected to depend on medical and forensic findings rather than solely on the sequence of events.
