Indian drug maker Cipla on Monday received tentative FDA approval for use of its generic, combination antiretroviral drug for children in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Reuters reports. [click link for full article]

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) is considering the possibility of expanding Medicaid coverage to more adults, a move that could cost the state millions, despite a projected $1.5 billion state budget shortfall, the Baltimore Sun reports. [click link for full article]

CMS on Monday announced that average monthly premiums for the Medicare drug benefit will increase to $25 in 2008, up from $22 in 2007, the Baltimore Sun reports (Baltimore Sun, 8/14). [click link for full article]

Stephen A. Back, M.D., Ph.D., an internationally recognized expert in pediatric neurology at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, recently was awarded a prestigious $2,346,313 Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award from the National Institute on Disease and Stroke (NINDS) for his pioneering work in the cellular and molecular cause(s) of brain injury in premature infants. NINDS is a branch of the National Institutes of Health. [click link for full article]

As this year’s sniffling-sneezing season approaches, there’s also a hint of hope present in the pre-germ-season air. In a study scheduled for publication in the August issue of the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, a team of kinesiologists at the University of Illinois suggest that older adults who adopt an exercise regimen combining Taiji and Qigong may get an extra boost from their annual flu shot. [click link for full article]

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission recently proposed that the state require employers to offer a maternity leave policy that exceeds what is offered under the 1993 federal Family and Medical Leave Act, the New York Times reports. [click link for full article]

The stinging insects and arthropods, such as bees, wasps, fire ants and scorpions, get most of the attention in allergy. But what about mosquitoes, bed bugs and Asian Ladybugs? These…

September 9th is National Grandparents Day, a day to honor grandparents across America as important members of our families and communities. Grandparents play important roles in life, including that of guardian, comforter, and mentor. As they get older, however, several aspects of their lives change, including their sleep patterns. While older adults need about seven to eight hours of sleep each night, many often get less sleep, which may make them more susceptible to health problems. [click link for full article]

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new energy storage device that easily could be mistaken for a simple sheet of black paper.The nanoengineered battery is lightweight, ultra thin, completely flexible, and geared toward meeting the trickiest design and energy requirements of tomorrow’s gadgets, implantable medical equipment, and transportation vehicles. [click link for full article]

The Healthy Kids Oregon coalition on Thursday launched a campaign in support of a state ballot measure that would increase cigarette taxes to provide health care for more than 100,000 uninsured Oregon children, the Oregonian reports. [click link for full article]