Adonis Georgiadis announces ban on misleading medical advertisements

Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis has announced a major initiative to ban misleading online advertisements for alternative therapies and ‘miracle’ treatments. This move follows the death of Georgios Mazonakis at a private clinic in Kolonaki, which sparked debate over the regulation of wellness and longevity centers. The Minister noted that such facilities often operate in ‘gray zones,’ performing complex medical procedures like plasmapheresis—which he stated should only occur in hospital settings—under simple outpatient licenses.

To establish a stricter institutional framework, Georgiadis plans to convene meetings with the Panhellenic Medical Association, the Medical Association of Athens, and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The goal is to define clear boundaries between wellness services and regulated medical practices.

Separately, the Minister addressed significant online hostility, condemning a social media post that publicly wished for his death following the Mazonakis incident. He highlighted the toxicity of the digital climate, noting the post received approximately 50,000 likes. Georgiadis also threatened legal action against those spreading inaccurate claims linking the director of the 6th Health Region to a doctor at the Stem Cell Clinic based solely on shared names, clarifying that the two individuals are unrelated.