The advent of the new bisphosphonates means that the era of observing the natural history of untreated Paget's disease is over, said Dr Henry Bone from Michigan Bone and Mineral Clinic, Detroit, Michigan, US, speaking at the 21st annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research [St. Louis, US; October 1999]. This is because bisphosphonates are very effective in stopping the progression of Paget's disease.