As a class, proton pump inhibitors (PPI) have demonstrated potent acid suppression capabilities with a favourable tolerability profile and have become the treatment of choice for acid-related disorders. The newest member of the PPI class, rabeprazole [`Aciphex'] showed durable efficacy in the treatment of erosive or ulcerative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a pooled analysis of 5-year data from two multicentre studies, presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology [Seattle, US; October 2002]. This analysis showed that long-term treatment with rabeprazole was well tolerated and provided significant improvements in the symptoms of GERD. Relapse rates were reduced, and the time to relapse prolonged, in rabeprazole, compared with placebo, recipients.