I actually can understand that in times of dire emergency,that a Government must have the right ...and the duty , to limit information flow. Which is why there are things like official secrets acts . But as NDA is a commercial contract, not a criminal offence, and anyone braking one is only subject to being sued.I have posted several times about the concerns many have regarding medicines and brexit. This sort of report would appear to engender worry, even fear, though there might be nothing whatsoever to be worried about.
Pharmaceutical firms preparing no-deal Brexit ordered to sign NDAs
More than 60 partners working on no-deal plans across Whitehall are now prohibited from revealing details to the public
Pharmaceutical organisations working with Whitehall to maintain medicine supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit have signed 26 “gagging orders” that bar them from revealing information to the public.
Figures show that 16 drug companies and 10 trade associations have been asked to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) which prevent them from revealing any information related to contingency plans drawn up with the Department of Health and Social Care.
It means that the government has now asked at least 60 partners working on no-deal preparations across Whitehall to sign such agreements, angering transparency campaigners and MPs.
Theresa May’s government has been accused of controlling the release of information about no-deal preparations to try to force Conservative MPs to back the prime minister’s Brexit agreement through parliament.
The prime minister has previously condemned the use of NDAs by employers. She told parliament in October that it was clear they were being used “unethically”.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/23/pharmaceutical-firms-preparing-no-deal-brexit-ordered-to-sign-ndas
Now is the British Government suggesting that Brexit is as national emergency?. That is a far cry from what anyone voting for it three years ago would have understood.
Actually the increased demand by UK government is creating shortages here for medicines. The pharmaceutical industry is not capable of increasing production willy nilly. Processes are certified at specific production rates,aand scaling up production is a long term sequence.