Californians now have affordable access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse overdoses, through a state program aimed at making prescription drugs more affordable, according to a press release from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office.
Through CalRX, California residents are able to purchase twin packs of over-the-counter naloxone spray for $24, which is almost half of the market price, the governor’s office said in a news release Tuesday. The program makes California the first state in the country to provide an affordable direct-to-consumer drug to its residents online.
“Life-saving medications shouldn’t come with a life-altering price tag. CalRx is about making essential drugs like naloxone affordable and accessible for all — not the privileged few,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is using our market power as the 5th largest economy in the world to disrupt a billion-dollar industry to save lives … and we’re just getting started.”
Naloxone blocks the effects of opioids and gives “crucial time” to allow people to receive medical attention after a possible overdose, the office said. Through CalRX, which was established by Newsom in 2019, California develops and distributes generic drugs to sell at low costs, often targeting drugs such as insulin that have high prices despite the availability of generic versions, according to the initative’s website.
To purchase naloxone through CalRX, California residents can go to www.calrxnaloxone.com to place an order. The naloxone must be ordered to an address within California and cannot be resold, according to the purchase page.
The CalRX naloxone was released in May 2024 and was previously offered to businesses and government groups in packs of 24, the governor’s office said. The program is part of Newsom’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis.
“By leveraging state purchasing power and strategic partnerships, CalRx is establishing a new standard for making essential medications more accessible at lower, more predictable prices,” the governor’s office said in the press release. “This initiative not only provides lifesaving naloxone at an affordable cost but also demonstrates how bold, state-led action can disrupt traditional pricing models and ensure that cost never stands in the way of care.”
The naloxone initiative saved the state an estimated $17 million between May 2024 and March 2025, according to the Naloxone State Savings Tracker.
Some organizations may be eligible for free naloxone through the Department of Health Care Services’ Naloxone Distribution Project.
