There were plenty of agreements/contracts drawn up with nation states that meant they had definite buyers and a definite income from those contracts. Their R&D

There were plenty of agreements/contracts drawn up with nation states that meant they had definite buyers and a definite income from those contracts. Their R&D costs were assured of a return due to the install base. They are already being rewarded financially, they weren't making and distributing these out of the goodness of their hearts. So they dont need to become fabulously wealthy, they just need to turn a decent profit. Which they are doing. And right now I would suggest that AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna are 3 of the most well known pharma companies, because they were first to market with working vaccines, there are plenty of pharma companies that tried, failed and thus you dont even know their names. So those successful firms are already being rewarded. No need to call for outsized returns for these companies.