Is it possible that you're being a bit generous with Pfizer? Perhaps they don't want to open themselves to massive liability if something goes wrong. Some of the smaller, newer companies that are getting these huge grants from the government don't have as much to lose as a powerhouse like Pfizer. $2 billion is a very different number for Pfizer ($11.8 *billion* in revenues for quarter ending June, 2020) than it is for Novavax ($35.4 *million* in quarter ending June, 2020).
There's a substantial liability shield in place for vaccine makers, especially in these circumstances. Approved vaccines that are marketed have injury claims paid out by the government and not the manufacturers, due to a problem of frivolous lawsuits killing the vaccine market in the 1980s. To ensure that companies would stay in the business, the government stepped in to take over liability for approved vaccines. So, they're not really open to any liability if the FDA approves the vaccine and there's some problem.
Is it possible that you're being a bit generous with Pfizer? Perhaps they don't want to open themselves to massive liability if something goes wrong. Some of the smaller, newer companies that are getting these huge grants from the government don't have as much to lose as a powerhouse like Pfizer. $2 billion is a very different number for Pfizer ($11.8 *billion* in revenues for quarter ending June, 2020) than it is for Novavax ($35.4 *million* in quarter ending June, 2020).
There's a substantial liability shield in place for vaccine makers, especially in these circumstances. Approved vaccines that are marketed have injury claims paid out by the government and not the manufacturers, due to a problem of frivolous lawsuits killing the vaccine market in the 1980s. To ensure that companies would stay in the business, the government stepped in to take over liability for approved vaccines. So, they're not really open to any liability if the FDA approves the vaccine and there's some problem.