A third complaint against a Larnaca medical centre offering plasmapheresis treatment was filed by the health ministry on Tuesday following an on-site inspection on Friday.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, the ministry confirmed that two previous complaints concerning the same centre had been filed in 2022 and 2023.

“Last week on Thursday we received some information regarding a centre in Larnaca following which relevant examinations were undertaken,” the health ministry said.

Asked whether the centre had since suspended operations, the ministry said this did not fall within its remit and was instead a matter for police.

“The health ministry can only close a medical facility if it is licensed by the health ministry,” it said.

Police said it had received a letter from the department of medical services, which referred to two medical centres in Larnaca in which plasmapheresis machines were located.

A search of the properties found machines in one and not the other.

Police had confirmed on Friday a letter had been previously received from the health ministry concerning a patient who required treatment after developing serious complications.

However, they said the subsequent investigation had yielded insufficient evidence to establish that criminal offences had been committed.

The case file was forwarded to the legal service, which likewise concluded that there were insufficient grounds for a criminal case.

The latest complaint follows allegations by cardiothoracic surgeon and co-founder of the American Medical Centre Marinos Sotiriou, who said a patient had been admitted to the centre’s intensive care unit with extensive thrombosis after undergoing plasmapheresis at an unlicensed centre in Larnaca.

Plasmapheresis is a procedure in which plasma is separated from the blood and removed, with the remaining blood components returned to the patient along with replacement fluid.

Medical professionals have advised that plasmapheresis is medically unnecessary and inappropriate unless prescribed for specific, evidence-based medical conditions