BS”D
Read about all the spurious grants that are given to mediocre scientists out there. Then come back to me and tell me what is ridiculous. Many of these grants have to do with certain types of behavioral science that I cannot describe on this board even by using loshon sagi nahor.
And yes, you can read enough to pass a medical board and even to practice medicine on yourself. Do you think I trust the doctors where I am? Besides, most of the NIH contributors are on the public or university dime and are compelled to share their findings because it is their job to do so and not because they are in any way altruistic.
Finally, the advances in medicine came mostly from drug company labs, from the profit motive, and even if an advanced treatment came from a university, it is only the drug company that could get it to the patient. Universities and public labs are full of drones who are there only for the job security and yes, some of them get grants for utterly ridiculous scientific experiments that prove nothing of any value.