California – California is working to cut the price of naloxone by significantly, which will make it easier for people to get a drug that has been credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives from overdoses. Governor Gavin Newsom said that CalRx will sell its own 4 mg naloxone HCL nasal spray over the counter for $19 starting on January 1, 2026. The price is more than 50% lower than the original market price, and it is another step in the state’s plan to lower the cost of medications through public manufacturing and purchasing power.
The lower pricing, according to state authorities, improves on what has already been done through the CalRx Naloxone Access Initiative, which started in May 2024. Since then, California has saved more than $39.6 million directly, while partnerships that pushed lower costs across the industry have saved an estimated $56 million more. The state has used those savings to help with its larger response to the opioid problem, which includes preventive initiatives and large-scale distribution efforts.
The Naloxone Distribution Project, which gives free naloxone to community groups, first responders, and municipal agencies, is a key part of that response. That initiative alone has stopped about 400,000 overdoses. Officials claim that making CalRx-branded naloxone available to the general public at a cheap cost will help people outside of institutions as well. This will allow families, individuals, and organizations to keep the medication on hand.
“Naloxone saves lives, and California is committed to ensuring that cost is not a barrier,” said Elizabeth Landsberg, director of the Department of Health Care Access and Information, which administers CalRx.
She said close coordination with manufacturing partners has allowed the program to deliver affordable, high-quality medications with measurable community impact. Department of Health Care Services Director Michelle Baass described the Naloxone Distribution Project as a cornerstone of the state’s overdose prevention strategy, adding that the $19 price point gives communities another reliable option to save lives.
“The Naloxone Distribution Project is a cornerstone of California’s lifesaving overdose and prevention response strategy, getting naloxone into communities where it’s needed most,” said Baass. “CalRx’s $19 OTC naloxone expands that reach, giving families, communities, and local organizations another affordable, reliable option to save lives.”
CalRx naloxone first became on sale in stores in April 2025 for $22.50, which was nearly half the price at the time. The price in January 2026 will be 15% lower than the previous pricing. Officials argue that the continuous drop shows that CalRx is encouraging competition and lowering costs across the country.
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The naloxone endeavor is part of a bigger plan to fight the overdose epidemic, which kills thousands of people every year. The state is also working to stop fentanyl trafficking by working with more law enforcement agencies and giving the California National Guard a bigger role in narcotics interdiction.
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The program’s online store will sell CalRx naloxone, and eligible groups can still get free supplies through the distribution scheme, which has supplied more than 7.6 million units as of mid-December 2025.
