Looking at things like food recommendations and the recent false start was it with Alzheimer, I wonder if the private model isn't in any case better. Government funded programs likely would have one or few sources of funding and this funding would be controlled by biases of who ever happen to be in the lead. Even if their decisions on directions to take research was wrong...

Private companies betting their own money might limit options of what is targeted, but on other hand I think end up trying more of different possibilities.

Does not mean we should not also spend money on government funded research programs with those drugs produced at near cost.

Why not subsidise the developed drug instead of taking upfront risk? Government can easily pay trillions of people money with no result for people.

That would be nice, but it isn't happening right now. Until the government starts funding drug development, do you agree it's reasonable for pharma companies to develop drugs and then sell them at high prices to recoup their costs?