"Assuming any government is going to better spend money than private enterprise is one of the funniest things I've read today." As someone that works in the same industry as Pfizer (and Valeant), yes it is true that sometimes the government is going to spend money better than private enterprise. The Cost and success rate of R&D in drug devleopment is not sustainable without the significant funding the US government (and to some extent other governments) contributes to basic science. The Valeant CEO (now Ex) has used the phrase "value destroying R&D" and Pfizer is Pfamous in the industry for R&D Pfailures. Both have been serial acquirers where they find much of their post-consolidation synergies in R&D, leading to deep cuts (often total cuts in Valeant's case). While they are acting economically rational way, the long-term consequences are that they are subsidized by the government.