Governor Newsom Expands CalRx to Supply Free Emergency Inhalers to 10,000 Public Schools

SACRAMENTO, CA — Governor Gavin Newsom announced a major expansion of the state's CalRx® public pharmaceutical initiative Thursday, partnering with Amneal Pharmaceuticals to stock every public and charter K-12 school in California with free emergency albuterol inhalers and valved holding chambers.

State Pharmaceutical Contract and School Distribution

The three-year public health partnership equips more than 10,000 school campuses across 58 counties with standardized emergency asthma rescue kits. Under enabling legislation (Senate Bill 234), school nurses and designated staff are authorized to administer emergency albuterol to any student experiencing acute respiratory distress, eliminating administrative delays caused by missing individual prescriptions.

State public health data indicates that pediatric asthma accounts for over 75,000 emergency department visits annually in California, with disproportionate rates in Central Valley and Inland Empire agricultural corridors.

Pediatric Health Equity and Fiscal Savings

The California Department of Public Health estimates that direct state procurement under CalRx saves local school districts an aggregate $14 million in pharmaceutical overhead while reducing preventable school absences by up to 18 percent.

Pediatric pulmonology associations praised the rollout as a national benchmark for closing healthcare disparities among low-income students.

Campus Delivery Schedules and Staff Training

Emergency kits will begin arriving at county offices of education on September 1, 2026, accompanied by certified digital training modules for campus administrative personnel.