I do believe that the U.S. is still leading in medical science research awards (as exhibited by the Nobel awards), but many countries excel in that area as well and it may well be that France, Germany, or the UK will lead in that area within the next 5 years or so. It actually doesn't matter much. Medical advances are patented and shared between all these countries. All that changes is the flow of payment towards the country/company of origin. Even that's changing- Swiss giants like Novartis do much of their research in the US, with resulting revenue booked toward company profit. Whether payment for cool new treatment "X" goes to swiss company Novartis or US company Pfizer makes little difference to the quality of healthcare.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
