CalRx Drives Down The Cost Of Naloxone As State Program Reverses Nearly 400,000 Overdoses

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state’s pharmacy initiative, CalRx, will offer CalRx-branded OTC naloxone HCL nasal spray, 4 mg, for only $19, beginning January 1, 2026. This represents a more than 50% decrease in cost from the original market price for naloxone, which is used to reverse opioid overdoses.

Through CalRx, the state intends to target prescription drugs where the pharmaceutical market has failed to lower drug costs, even when a generic or biosimilar medication is available.

Since May 2024, the CalRx Naloxone Access Initiative has saved California more than $39.6 million – and an additional . . .