Revolutionizing Personalized Medicine with 4D Printing in Drug Delivery

Nandini Sharma, Yukta Garg, Amandeep Singh · Bentham Science Publishers Ltd. · 2026

4D printing uses dynamic materials that change with temperature, humidity, and pH to enable environment- and body-signal–dependent, personalized drug delivery.

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Plain English summary

The record describes 4D printing as an advancement over 3D printing that uses dynamic materials whose properties change with environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and pH. It argues that this approach could improve drug development by enabling drug delivery systems that control the administration rate based on the internal environment, aiming to enhance treatment effectiveness while addressing adverse effects. The abstract also positions 4D printing as a route to smart materials for vaccines, implants, and other devices that respond to body signals in real time, while noting hurdles in synthesis/fabrication and regulatory approval.

Why this matters

The abstract frames 4D printing as a future drug-manufacturing approach for patient-specific care, emphasizing adaptive therapeutic delivery via environment-dependent control of administration rate and real-time body-signal responsiveness. No evidence is provided about demonstrated performance, regulatory status, or deployment/availability; only promise and hurdles are mentioned.

Key findings

  • 4D printing is presented as using dynamic materials that change with environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, pH).
  • The approach is claimed to control drug administration rate based on internal environment.
  • It is described as promising for personalized drug delivery and improved treatment effectiveness while considering adverse effects.
  • The abstract links 4D printing to smart materials for vaccines, implants, and devices that respond to body signals in real time.
  • It highlights hurdles in synthesis/fabrication and regulatory approval.

Limitations

The abstract does not provide experimental results, specific material formulations, performance metrics, or evidence of regulatory readiness; it only notes hurdles in synthesis/fabrication and regulatory approval.

Publication

Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Publication date
March 1, 2026
Research type
Paper

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Method note: Summaries and ratings on this page are generated by AI from the abstract only. Read the original paper for full context. · Model: gpt-5.4-nano-2026-03-17