I think your simple way of looking at this is actually part of the problem.
If you want to get beyond the alchemy stage then more money needs to be put into research. For some people, ageing is a problem and they will spend lots of money to alleviate the symptoms, and to prevent a "premature" death.
There are many companies who will invest lots of money in an effort to capture this segment of the population. By doing the basic research for one segment, you are actually building a foundation of knowledge that will benefit all segments. For example, a device that can monitor the heart of an 80 year old can also be used on a 20 year old.
If you want to get beyond the alchemy stage then more money needs to be put into research. For some people, ageing is a problem and they will spend lots of money to alleviate the symptoms, and to prevent a "premature" death.
There are many companies who will invest lots of money in an effort to capture this segment of the population. By doing the basic research for one segment, you are actually building a foundation of knowledge that will benefit all segments. For example, a device that can monitor the heart of an 80 year old can also be used on a 20 year old.