Zan Mitrev

Dr. Zan Mitrev (Macedonian: Жан Митрев) (born 11 January 1961) is a Macedonian cardiovascular surgeon and medical academic currently working and residing in Skopje, North Macedonia. Since 1999, he has served as the owner and General Manager of the Žan Mitrev Clinic (formerly the Filip Vtori Clinic), a private surgical hospital in Skopje.

COVID-19 fraud indictment

The Žan Mitrev COVID-19 fraud indictment refers to criminal proceedings initiated by the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office Skopje against Žan Mitrev and the Žan Mitrev Clinic. Prosecutors allege that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, patients were misled into paying for expensive hemofiltration treatments after being led to believe the procedure was an effective treatment for COVID-19. Mitrev has denied all allegations.

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Žan Mitrev Clinic offered hemofiltration to critically ill COVID-19 patients. Hemofiltration is an established blood purification technique used in intensive care medicine, particularly for patients with acute kidney injury and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

The clinic publicly promoted the treatment, arguing that it could reduce inflammatory mediators associated with severe COVID-19.

Investigation

On 12 August 2022, the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office Skopje opened a criminal investigation following allegations that patients and their families had been deceived regarding the effectiveness of hemofiltration as a COVID-19 treatment.

The investigation was initiated after the publication of a documentary by the Investigative Reporting Lab (IRL), which featured testimonies from families of former patients.

According to prosecutors:

Approximately 283 patients or relatives joined the criminal proceedings claiming they had been deceived. The clinic allegedly received approximately €1.6 million from hemofiltration procedures performed during the pandemic. Patients allegedly were not fully informed about the experimental or limited evidence supporting the treatment.

Indictment

The prosecution filed an indictment against:

Žan Mitrev Žan Mitrev Clinic

The indictment alleges fraud rather than medical malpractice. Prosecutors state that hemofiltration itself is a recognized medical procedure but argue that patients were allegedly misled into believing it was a proven treatment for COVID-19.

The prosecution also cited the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), noting that although an emergency authorization existed for the Oxiris Set Device in certain critically ill patients, this authorization did not approve hemofiltration as a proven treatment for COVID-19.

Defense

Žan Mitrev has denied all allegations. He has stated publicly that:

he committed no fraud; the treatments complied with accepted medical practice; he is not seeking a plea agreement; he intends to defend himself in court.