Last year, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California was going to wield the power of the 5th largest economy in the world to ... no, not ban the mention of periods in school or ban books or ban drag shows or ban LGBTQ rights ,,, but to shape the medication market for the benefit of all Americans.
How, pray tell, is he going to do that ?
California is going to make it's own insulin and sell it at near cost.
Last week at a press conference, Newsom announced that California has secured a contract with a generic insulin manufacturer, Civica, to begin making some of the most common types of insulin (glargine, lispro and aspart) towards the end of the year.
Warning ! Medical information ahead ! Glargine is a long lasting insulin (typically lasting 24 hours and it is usually injected once a day). Lispro is a very fast acting insulin but doesn't last very long. Aspart is another fast acting insulin but may last somewhat longer than Lispro. This combination of rapid and long lasting inulins is a good start for CalRx, the California initiative to make generic drugs under the state's label. Some insulin users just need Glargine and others may need both types of insulin.
More good news ! The insulin will cost no more than $30 per 10 mL bottle and no more than $55 for a 5-pack of pens. And they will be for sale across the country (not just in California). These prices apply to ALL people and not just Medicare Part D enrollees (Biden did what he could to reduce prices given a partially hostile Congress). Also remember that the Republicans blocked extending the price reductions to private insurance.
These prices are better than Medicare, and better than the bally-hooed LIST price reductions from Big Pharma (most of which were not drastic price reductions or would start next year).
So what does this mean for the future ? CalRx undoubtedly has plans to make other medications. Rumor has it that Naloxone (used for opioid overdose) is next on the list. I would like to see life saving epi-pens (anyone remember the price gouging epi-pen scandal fairly recently ?). There are so many other medications to choose from.
This is why I really like leaders like Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer (and her other incredible democracy warrior pals in Michigan - Jocelyn Benson and Dana Nessel) who reversed right-to-work laws recently and even Govenor Northam in Virginia. Huh ? Governor Northam ? Please remember that he and the Dem controlled General Assembly gave us expanded voting rights and the Virginia Clean Economy Act - both of which Republicans desperately tried to sabotage this year.
This is why we need to give the General Assembly back to the Dems in 2023, kick out Ben Cline and give the Dems control of Congress and maintain control of the White house in 2024.
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