A word I didn’t know in either language until the day before yesterday (9th September). A popular Greek singer, 54-year-old George Mazonakis, entered a private clinic in Kolonaki at around 1:30pm. At some point the emergency services were called, Mazonakis was ambulanced to the ‘Ελπις (Hope!) Hospital where he either died or was pronounced dead.
I know nothing about Mazonakis. Photos on TV give the impression of a man in his 60s trying to maintain his youth. I was surprised to learn he was only 54. It seems that he went to the clinic for Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) or plasmapheresis. Again, the word ‘Therapeutic’ might, in this instance, be replaced with ‘Cosmetic’ as Mazonakis was undergoing the procedure as a kind of detox without the effort. In the procedure, the blood enters a magic machine which separates plasma from blood cells, removes the bad stuff and replaces it with some kind of modern ambrosia. According to the TV, plasmapheresis has been popularised my Mick Jagger, who goes to Switzerland for his blood to be rejuvenated.
The doctors at the clinic maintain that the singer had a heart attack before the procedure began, something that the paramedics who arrived at the scene have contradicted. The two doctors have been arrested. The upshot? Who knows? A lot of snake oil merchants running private clinics in wealthy Kolonaki will be shitting themselves. Are they licensed to carry out some of miracle treatments they offer, and is their medical equipment licensed for such treatments? The article below is well worth reading
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