Confirmation that raloxifene given for 36 months reduces the risk of vertebral fractures by 30 to 50 per cent in women with osteoporosis has been published as part of the multiple outcomes of raloxifene evaluation (MORE) study. The risk of non-vertebral fracture did not differ significantly from placebo over the three years. The main adverse effect attributed to raloxifene was venous thromboembolism. The authors comment that the reduced risk of vertebral fracture is similar to that found in trials involving alendronate and transdermal oestrogen (Journal of the American Medical Association 1999;282:637).