Abstract Recent elastic scattering data from the meson factories are reviewed. The I = 1 phase shifts are now well determined up to 600 MeV, and I = 0 phase shifts to 500 MeV. The latest version of the Paris potential shows improved agreement with phase shifts, but there is room for further improvement. The 3 D 3 and 3 G 5 waves show a surprising difference in sign. The analysis of Grein and Kroll shows that the short-range interaction is considerably more complicated than previously believed, and 3π exchange plays a large and essential role. Experimental attention should now move to pion production amplitudes, for their relevance to N★s in nuclei and the possible existence of a pion condensate in nuclear matter at high densities.