California will soon offer insulin pens for $11 under a new state program announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, marking the latest move in a broader push to cut prescription drug costs. Starting Jan. 1, a five-pack of the state's own brand of insulin pens will be available to consumers for $55, with California pharmacies able to purchase the packs for $45, the Los Angeles Times reports. The initiative, part of California's first-in-the-nation effort to sell its own generic prescription drugs, aims to provide a cheaper alternative in a market where uninsured patients can pay up to $400 for a single vial of insulin.
According to state figures, products similar to the one CalRx will sell to pharmacies for $45 cost between $89 and $411 from name brands, Politico reports. "California didn't wait for the pharmaceutical industry to do the right thing—we took matters into our own hands," Newsom said in a statement. He argued no one in the state should have to "ration insulin or go into debt to stay alive." Newsom first proposed the state-branded generics initiative in 2020. In 2023, he announced a partnership between the state nonprofit generic drug manufacturer Civica Rx.
State officials hope the move will reduce insulin costs not just for individual buyers but also throughout the healthcare system. While major drug companies have recently slashed insulin prices, critics say those savings often don't reach all consumers. The announcement follows Newsom's signing of Senate Bill 40, which caps insulin co-pays at $35, the first such limit in California. The bill's author, Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, said the new law ensures families will not be forced to choose between buying insulin and basic needs like food.
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