René Favaloro

Argentine surgeon who pioneered coronary bypass surgery, saving millions of lives worldwide.

Dr. René Favaloro (1923–2000) revolutionized cardiac surgery with his development of the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in 1967. Born in La Plata, Argentina, he worked in rural clinics before joining the Cleveland Clinic, where he perfected the technique using a patient's saphenous vein.

Favaloro's innovation reduced heart attack mortality rates globally. He returned to Argentina in 1971 to establish the Favaloro Foundation, a nonprofit hospital emphasizing education and accessible care. Despite financial struggles, he rejected privatization, stating 'Medicine cannot be a business'.

His tragic suicide in 2000 highlighted systemic corruption in Argentina's healthcare sector. Today, the Favaloro Foundation continues his mission, training over 400 surgeons annually. Favaloro's ethical stance and technical brilliance make him a symbol of medical altruism.