The blackmail part is literally by-design. They call it value-based pricing, where the price of the medicine is not related to its cost plus a profit margin plu

The blackmail part is literally by-design. They call it value-based pricing, where the price of the medicine is not related to its cost plus a profit margin plus a margin for research and development of new or improved medicines, but on what each nation (pricing is adjusted per country) is willing and able to bear to keep a small group of people alive (or at least comfortable). It puts quite a dent in public health care resources. People who are in this business to actually help the sick hate this system with a passion, and some national governments are now willing to allow hospitals and pharmacists to experiment with creating their own medicine again as a result.