▼Etanercept* (Enbrel - Wyeth) and▼infliximab* (Remicade - Schering Plough) belong to a new class of drugs that block the effects of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a mediator of inflammation. Both are licensed for the treatment of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who have responded inadequately to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Here, we consider whether etanercept and infliximab offer advantages.