I agree with Hazard on this point. There should be no reason that the pharmaceutical industry needs to be subsidized at both the R&D end and the sales and production end. Although I would certainly make an exception for an emergency like the one we're in now.
The only other reason I would want to subsidize the R&D of pharmaceuticals would be if there was a mandate that the drugs in question are immediately placed into the public domain so there can be healthy competition in the market to keep prices down.
The only other reason I would want to subsidize the R&D of pharmaceuticals would be if there was a mandate that the drugs in question are immediately placed into the public domain so there can be healthy competition in the market to keep prices down.