[Human African trypanosomiasis: present and future treatment ].

During his life General Lapeyssonnie coped with the hazards linked to the therapeutics of the human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), sometimes with passion and disappointment, sometimes with revolt and hope. Because of a lack of political and financial concern during the past decades, a real global policy against the disease and a drug research against HAT didn't emerge. Today, some changes seem to take place. They are the result of the frightening spread of the disease and of the moral obligation that forces pharmaceutical companies to intervene. Drug research needs to be increased. New drugs should present no toxicity and should be able to cross through the blood-brain barrier with efficient cerebrospinal fluid concentrations. Moreover, new drugs should be easy to synthesize, easy to use and at a low cost. Today, megazol is the only one product in preclinical development, which seems to reach each of these goals.