It’s not an imaginary scenario. For example, look at Sovaldi, the $84,000 hepatitis C cure. That’s less than the total cost of long-term treatment but it didn’t exactly make Gilead popular.
But does it ACTUALLY cost that much or do they charge that much because they can, like insulin?
It costs enough that it was featured at DEFCON this past year.
Four Thieves Vinegar Collective did a presentation where they made their own hep-c medication for a few hundred bucks + equipment.
Here is their website for those interested Link. But be warned, these guys very much have crossed a line in regards to IP law and general medical saftey practices. Governments do not care if your trying to make insulin or meth, they just see a mad scientist making drugs, and these nerds intend to make it a fight.