Who funds the research for things like cure for baldness?

Hey,
I was wondering who funds the research for the cure for baldness? Is it a company or is it government funded? who are these people trying to find out about a cure? why do they research this and take money away from research categories such as aids or cancer? does this mean they are researching this to make money on a man's desire to have hair? since having or not having hair is not vital you survival, it must be private companies that fund this...therefore if i invest in this company, then i'll be filthy rich once they find a cure. the problem is.....finding this company..

thanks..

The vast majority of medical research is funded by private companies. In the case you cite it would be a pharmaceutical company. Pharma companies are also working on the AIDS and cancer drugs you ask about.

Remember this when someone starts complaining about the cost of prescription drugs. The pharma companies spend TONS of cash investigating new drugs and the vast majority of them don't pan out. Some people say the cost of developing each new drug and getting it through FDA approval is $500 million.

The pharma business is incredibly risky yet it has managed to develop drugs that weren't even dreamed of just a few years ago. I say they deserve all the money they can earn.

Also, note that the countries that have socialized medicine (e.g. Canada and England) don't have ANY leading pharma companies. Maybe because there's no incentive for a private company to develop new drugs.