Newsom Says California Will Start Selling Its Own $11 Insulin Pens Next Year

The initiative in California is expected to lower insulin prices by about 90 percent.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference announcing $11 insulin and prescription drugs with the CalRX program inside a Cedars-Sinai pharmacy in Los Angeles on Oct. 16, 2025. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Oct. 16 that the state would start selling its own brand of affordable insulin pens next year to improve access to essential medication across the state.

The insulin pens will be sold under the state’s CalRx brand for $11 per pen or $55 per five-pack, with sales expected to begin on Jan. 1, 2026, according to a statement from the governor’s office.