A600KiloBear,
in response to your posts, yes, the expense of research is quite high, a a great deal is paid for by the taxpayer. The vast majority of this is biomedical research, as funded by the NIH. The studies funded are the basis of hope for cures and treatments. They are the reason that many types of cancer are not immediate death sentences any more. Most of us know someone who has had cancer and is still alive 5 years later.
As you posted, “there are drones sitting in koilel”. True, there are mediocre people everywhere, and every system can stand self-examination and improvement–the Yeshiva and University worlds are no exceptions. However, we would not judge the Yeshiva world by the mediocre talmidim within, nor by the ones just marking time Nor should we judge the scientific world by the nonproductive people working there. Without the Yeshiva world, what happens to Torah? Without the University system, what happens to science–and thus medicine? Despite the fact that neither world is perfect, they are both necessary for our way of life.
Regarding the relative contributions to biomedical advancement by the university communities versus the pharmaceutical companies–if you were referring to the same source that I was–sure, she has a political agenda. However, the numbers that she cites are correct. Far more major advances in biomedical science take place in the university system–precisely because of the funding system and the fact that in the university sector, we are well aware that science is a long process, and it can take a long time. We have the advantage of recognizing the value of research and knowledge for its own sake. This can often lead to very significant biomedical advances. Who could have thought that a jellyfish protein could lead to cancer treatments, or Alzheimer’s Disease early diagnostics and potential treatments?