Contract R&D for forty years, here. Check out CBD and the SBIR RFQ's. Follow-on funding depends on Phase I successes. Nobody gets paid for percieved failure.
For evidence of Research Prostitution one need look no further than "Global Warming".
Your opinion on "Global Warming" doesn't make it junk science.
Outcome based science short circuits the Scientfic Method by undermining objectivity. When contrary views seem to have difficulty getting published as easily as those which support foreordained results, in any field, objectivity is suspect. Add massive amounts of money to the mix, and human nature takes over.
That's why I retired. Ethical indigestion.
Ok. I guess my main problem is the "greedy pharmaceuticals" thing sounds exactly like the jabber I hear all the time from the loony left guy I carpool with. Could be that pure R&D can be full of crap.