Authors' reply to Mawer and Wilcox and Mullish and Williams.

Mawer and Wilcox point out that newer antibiotics may be superior to vancomycin for treating recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. However, the gulf in efficacy between these treatments and faecal transplantation is so large that transplantation will remain the treatment of choice, especially when it is much cheaper and does not risk further antibiotic related problems and drug resistance. Mullish and Williams point out the considerable practical challenges facing clinicians in the UK. We agree that rules should be relaxed or changed to allow easy access to donors or well regulated stool banks in other centres or countries, and that investment is needed in screening donor samples to improve compatibility.