Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) can lead to delayed recovery time for an individual in the immediate postsurgical period, resulting in increased costs of care. While the long-term morbidity of PONV is relatively low, most patients are more concerned with how they will feel after a surgical procedure than they are about the occurrence of rare but serious complications. The introduction of selective serotonin3(5-HT3)-receptor antagonists has positively influenced the management of patients with PONV. Unfortunately, these agents are not 100% efficacious in all patients. Thus, a significant opportunity exists to extend the clinical efficacy achieved in this indication. An exciting new class of compounds, the neurokinin1(NK1)-receptor antagonists, is progressing down the R&D pipeline and it is hoped these novel agents will meet this need, delegates were told at the 72nd Clinical and Scientific Congress of the International Anaesthesia Research Society [Orlando, US; March 1998].