California may be the first state to develop its own generic drugs [View all]

[Auggie]

Los Angeles Times

SACRAMENTO — California is poised to become the first state to develop its own line of generic drugs, targeting soaring drug prices and stepping into a fiercely competitive drug market dominated by deep-pocketed pharmaceutical companies.

The Democratic-controlled Legislature overwhelmingly approved a measure Monday that would direct the state’s top health agency to partner with one or more drug companies by January to make or distribute a broad range of generic or biosimilar drugs — including the diabetes medicine insulin — that are cheaper than brand-name products.

The bill, SB-852, also opens the door for California to make its own generic drugs in the future.

SNIP

Under the measure, state-developed generics would be “widely” available to public and private purchasers within California. Taxpayers would pick up the costs — roughly $1 million to $2 million in startup funding, plus ongoing staff costs estimated in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, according to a state fiscal analysis.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-09-01/california-may-dive-into-generic-drug-market

According to the link, the bill does indeed call for the production of “at least one form of insulin ..."

This is awesome news. Now, how about single-payer health insurance?