Comment by energy123

The argument only makes sense under certain assumptions: you can't protect the IP from being copied (leading to competition and eroding economic rents), or the government will place a price ceiling (price controls).

Otherwise, the demand will be highly inelastic, so you cannot really invent a better business model. The pricing power you would wield as the monopoly provider of life & death would be tremendous.

It would be fruitful to put the example in the article under closer scrutiny.