California Gov. Gavin Newsom says California will develop its own low-cost insulin

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

In an announcement made on Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state will develop its own "low-cost" insulin, an essential hormone that many people use for diabetes treatment.

“Many Americans experience out-of-pocket costs anywhere from $300 to $500 per month for this life-saving drug,” he said. “California is now taking matters into its own hands. The budget I just signed sets aside $100 million so we can contract and make our own insulin at a cheaper price, close to at cost, and make it available to all.”

In a video shared on Twitter, he said that “people should not go into debt to receive life-saving medication.”

The state budget for this year is $308 billion, which was signed by Newsom last week. The budget will dedicate $50 million to developing low-cost insulin products, and another $50 million "will be used to build an insulin manufacturing facility in California" that will "create new, high-paying jobs and strengthen the diabetes medication supply chain," he said.

8 July 2022