The death of Greek singer Giorgos Mazonakis has opened a wider debate in Greece over people posing as qualified doctors and the marketing of supposed medical treatments that lack scientific backing. Scrutiny has fallen on scientific-sounding terms such as "detoxification," "blood cleansing" and "longevity," which appear to function as powerful marketing tools.
Drawing on data from official medical bodies, Greek newspaper Ta Nea compiled a list of 15 questions patients should research before approaching a doctor or health professional and undergoing a medical procedure.
Checking whether a clinic is licensed
Patients should look for a "Legal Clinic" sign issued by the relevant Medical Association, which must be displayed in a visible spot and is the only official certification that a practice holds a lawful operating permit. The Athens Medical Association advises patients to check a doctor's CV and not be swayed by impressive advertising, dubious titles or unsubstantiated promises made on social media.
Not every private clinic can carry out every medical procedure. The Confederation of Private Doctors of Greece said not all medical acts can be performed by every specialty, especially without the appropriate specialized training, adding that holding the title of doctor alone cannot substitute for the training and experience required to safely carry out a specific procedure.
Who performs the procedure, and what happens if something goes wrong
Patients should ask whether a procedure is better carried out in a hospital, a question that matters whenever there is a chance of a serious or sudden complication requiring immediate access to organized hospital support.
Patients are entitled to know the full name and specialty of the doctor carrying out the procedure and, depending on the process, which other health professionals are involved. Under Greece's institutional framework on patient rights, doctors must inform patients why a procedure is needed, what benefit is expected, what the risks are and what alternatives exist.
Perhaps the most useful question a patient can ask, according to the review, is whether a plan exists in case of a complication: how likely the risk is, whether there is a plan for managing it and transferring the patient, and how quickly they could be moved to a hospital.
When a second opinion is worth seeking
Seeking a second opinion is not excessive, particularly for a non-urgent, invasive or expensive procedure, when treatment is proposed to a patient with no clear symptoms, or when a doctor promises a striking result.
What "detox" and "blood cleansing" really mean
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, part of the US National Institutes of Health, has said in a report titled "Detoxes and Cleanses: What You Need to Know" that there is little human data on various detox programs, ranging from diets to colon hydrotherapy, and that existing studies have significant limitations, including small numbers of participants and flawed design.
Therapeutic plasmapheresis, meanwhile, is a scientifically documented medical procedure with specific indications, including blood disorders such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, Goodpasture syndrome and sickle cell disease during acute episodes, neurological conditions such as myasthenia gravis and Guillain-Barre syndrome, and certain kidney and transplant-related conditions. That does not mean plasmapheresis amounts to a general "cleansing" of the body or a detox method for healthy people.
Plasmapheresis, "anti-aging" and the evidence gap
Plasmapheresis has not been shown to renew the body. A randomized study published last year in Scientific Reports examined healthy adults undergoing repeated plasmapheresis and found no "epigenetic rejuvenation," with the authors concluding that no benefits were identified. A separate small randomized study from 2025, involving just 42 people over the age of 50, did find improvement in some biological age markers, but researchers stress that finding is interesting rather than proof, and that the intervention has not received approval from the relevant authorities in Greece or abroad.
The science of aging studies real biological mechanisms such as cellular senescence, epigenetic changes and inflammation, but that does not mean every intervention marketed as "anti-aging" is scientifically documented. An article published last August in the journal Nature Medicine noted that despite progress in research, evidence for the clinical benefit of anti-aging interventions in humans remains limited.
Longevity claims and new oversight plans
Longevity research, focused on extending years of life in good health, is a genuine scientific field. The Nature Medicine article pointed to a gap between promising mechanisms targeting the aging process and proof of real clinical benefit.
Following the gap in oversight exposed by the singer's death, the leadership of Greece's health ministry has announced a new institutional framework for longevity services, along with a new app that would let citizens check a clinic's license and the medical procedures it is permitted to carry out.
Various biomarkers, such as "epigenetic clocks," are used as indicators of biological age, which can differ from a person's chronological age, though research in this area is still ongoing.
"Cellular renewal" and stem cell claims
"Cellular renewal" is not a specific, established treatment. The term can be used for different research approaches that attempt to influence the mechanisms of cellular aging. Scientists note that the distinction between research and commercial application is critical: a method being in clinical trials means it is being tested, not that it has already proven effective or can be offered as an anti-aging treatment to the general public.
Stem cells and regenerative medicine represent a genuine and promising field of research. However, the US Food and Drug Administration has warned about unapproved cell and tissue products and claims covering a very wide range of conditions. The key question, according to the report, is whether the specific application on offer has scientific and regulatory approval.
