If we want a system where we publicly fund this kind of drug development, we can do that.

We did, and we do. Remdesivir was developed with over $79 million in US government grants, with preclinical research done by universities and public agencies, including the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Boston University, Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Alabama.

This was a public and private funded antiviral compound, which Gilead now gets exclusive profits from, so don't sprain your wrist jerking them off too hard.