Hormone Therapy Risks Outweigh Bone Benefits
 (NY, Reuters Health, 9/30/03)

The Women's Health Initiative, which included over 16,000 older women who were given either hormone therapy or a placebo, was halted after nearly 6 years because of an unacceptable risk of heart disease and cancer to the subjects who were given the hormones. Now Dr. Jane A. Cauley, of the University of Pittsburgh, and team, have used the data from this study to determined that 11.1% of the placebo group experienced a fracture as compared with only 8.6% of the hormone group; however, this reduced risk of broken bones is outweighed by the increased probability of serious complications and, therefore, does not justify the use of hormone replacement therapy.