The only way to get rational prices is to allow the free market to work. Now if it means that in certain cases when pharma has a monopoly (only one making a critical drug), anti-trust action could make sense or regulation of essential services in the same manner as a utility guaranteeing a profit for the company to provide the services.
Socialized medicine simply creates a government monopoly and prices tend to be depressed causing shortages or they may be too high when corporate interests lobby politicians for higher prices and special protections (vaccines) .
In the article it's disclosed a similar drug in Canada sells for $33 per does, HOWEVER although the drug is approved for use in the USA, Questor bought the US distribution rights and DECIDED not to sell it, instead selling the $40,000 dollar version. Sounds like an illegal monopoly. That sort of crap is anti-freemarket and in other fields would be prosecuted.