"...why aren't we doing pink-ribbon-level funding campaigns for this tech and giving it to Dr. Rider's team?"

I reckon you were previously unaware of it, and that it needs funding. I expect that the pharmaceutical companies that are not funding it, rather than seeing a first mover opportunity, see that curing all viruses disrupts their business models and use their influence on media companies to limit exposure of Draco to those articles that discourage folks from funding it. I have no means of funding it, as I have no bank accounts, and they're not taking Steem or any of my Steem Engine tokens.