Yes, anti-aging is the best possible research we could be funding. Unfortunately most people shut down when it's brought up, because thinking about your own decline and death isn't pleasant.

If they don't, there's going to be a lot of scaling back on things that don't work or aren't proven.

How will the "scaling back" be accomplished? Governments can and should stop paying large amounts for treatments that don't do much, but unless private services are banned, lots people will spend whatever they have to try to keep themselves or their loved ones alive.