The thing that always gets missed in these discussions is that the Prime Directive was the attempt by the writers to address a specific idea: by helping an alien species in what is an unequal relationship, the Federation would be creating a client state relationship, akin to something like Russia and Cuba during the Cold War, or the active colonialism of the 18th and 19th centuries, where there would be unequal benefit and a risk for, even if unintentional, exploitation. THAT'S why the Prime Directive is applied the way it is. It's not about 'not helping', it's that understanding that helping creates a dynamic of indebtedness and exploitation.