{blacktriangledown}Raloxifene to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis

doi:10.1136/dtb.1999.37533

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 1999;37:33-36; doi:10.1136/dtb.1999.37533

${blacktriangledown}$ Raloxifene to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis

Relevant BNF section: 6.4.1

${blacktriangledown}$ Raloxifene (Evista - Lilly) belongs to a family of drugs describedas 'selective oestrogen receptor modulators' (abbreviated to'SERMs' to reflect the American spelling of oestrogen) of whichtamoxifen should probably be regarded as the first example.Raloxifene is licensed in the UK for the prevention of non-traumaticvertebral fractures in postmenopausal women considered at increasedrisk of osteoporosis. The drug is promoted as "a new way ofprotecting women after the menopause without using hormones".The manufacturer claims that raloxifene "increases bone massand reduces the risk of vertebral fracture" and "improves thelipid profile", while causing "placebo levels of breast symptoms...anduterine bleeding". A further claim is that raloxifene "has reducedthe incidence of newly diagnosed breast cancer in clinical trials".We examine these claims.