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The GDP of the US is about 7x the GDP of the UK. So the UK isn't freeloading.

I'm also willing to bet the UK spends their medical research dollars more efficiently. In the States, big Pharma researches ways to make money. Elsewhere, research is done mostly by universities & hospitals, who are more interested in fame than fortune.

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Not only is it free riding because the UK isn't spending a proportional amount of their GDP, but it could also be considered free riding because the quantity of research by the UK isn't the same; size notwithstanding.

But you're next line is absolutely baseless. What makes you think the UK spends their research dollars more efficiently? I'd love to hear even a single reason.

While you're thinking, here are some breakdowns of spending: US: 70.1% of spending is by private industry, 13.6 academic, 12.2 government.

UK: 65.7 private industry, 21.4 academic, 9.7 government.

I'd say they look much closer than you would have people believe.

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