> Would they get paid by "crakpots" more than they could get paid by Big pharma !?

Yes. A whole bunch of the prominent "MAHA" folks sell/promote supplements, peptides, miracle cures.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_Health_Defense

https://www.cspi.org/press-release/peptides-fda-urged-overru...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/12/03/dr-oz-influ...

There's a shitload of money in alternative medicine, and you can get away with more.