This review covers the 17 new chemical entities approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the year 2002. Therapeutics are categorized into the following coded areas: (A) agents affecting neurotransmission, (B) anti-infectious agents, (C) anti-cancer agents, (D) hormone related agents, and (E) miscellaneous agents. Included in each drug section are a short description of its approved medical use, a mechanism of action if known, a chemical structure, and a pathway for its synthesis.