The Brief

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Californians will be able to buy five packs of insulin pens for a maximum of $55 per pack, or $11 per pen, starting Jan. 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday.

What they're saying:

"Every Californian should be able to access life-saving medications without breaking the bank," he wrote, referring to the state-branded pens, CalRx.

Lawmakers at the state and federal level have focused in recent years on the high cost of insulin, and Newsom's announcement comes three years after he said California would address the high cost of insulin.

Newsom shared a CalMatters story that explained the pens are interchangeable with glargine, the generic alternative for Lantus, a once-a-day injection that regulates blood sugar.

An equivalent amount of Lantus sells to phar

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