[New treatments for obesity]

The aim of this short review is to summarize our knowledge on the pharmacological treatment of obesity. We consider first the old molecules, mostly amphetamine derivatives, which tend to be abandoned and second, the more recent ones which just appeared or are just about to become available. We also envision some therapeutical perspectives derived from recent advances in molecular biology. Although, it is "scientifically correct" to deliver an optimistic message regarding the possibility of finding an effective and safe treatment of obesity in the near future, we think that this is, on the contrary, an unrealistic goal.