3D打印是一种制造药品（Spritam）、复合药丸（愈创甘油醚）、纳米悬浮剂（叶酸）和水凝胶（布洛芬）的尖端技术，但存在材料选择限制、制造尺寸受限制和低维度和高维度的设计错误等局限。相比之下，4D打印是在3D打印基础上的一种技术进步，引入了形状记忆聚合物和液晶弹性体等活性材料，使打印出的物体能够对刺激做出形状改变。4D打印具有诸多优势，包括更大的打印能力、更高的制造效率、改进的质量、更低的生产成本、减少碳足迹以及生产更广泛的产品且具有更大的潜力。近期4D打印在临床领域的应用包括用于膀胱疾病的人工膀胱植入物、用于移植的4D打印心脏、用于气道支气管软化的支架、用于组织伤口愈合的微针、用于溃疡的水凝胶胶囊和用于抗癌药物输送的药物夹刀。本综述强调了4D打印相对于3D打印的优势，及在制造具有局部作用的智能药物输送系统、减少药物管理的发生率以及改善患者遵从性方面的最新应用。建议在未来开展大量研究以进一步深入探索4D打印的发展和应用。© 2023. 作者，独家许可给美国药物科学家协会。

3D printing is a cutting-edge technique for manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs (Spritam), polypills (guaifenesin), nanosuspension (folic acid), and hydrogels (ibuprofen) with limitations like the choice of materials, restricted size of manufacturing, and design errors at lower and higher dimensions. In contrast, 4D printing represents an advancement on 3D printing, incorporating active materials like shape memory polymers and liquid crystal elastomers enabling printed objects to change shape in response to stimuli. 4D printing offers numerous benefits, including greater printing capacity, higher manufacturing efficiency, improved quality, lower production costs, reduced carbon footprint, and the ability to produce a wider range of products with greater potential. Recent examples of 4D printing advancements in the clinical setting include the development of artificial intravesicular implants for bladder disorders, 4D-printed hearts for transplant, splints for tracheobronchomalacia, microneedles for tissue wound healing, hydrogel capsules for ulcers, and theragrippers for anticancer drug delivery. This review highlights the advantages of 4D printing over 3D printing, recent applications in manufacturing smart pharmaceutical drug delivery systems with localized action, lower incidence of drug administration, and better patient compliance. It is recommended to conduct substantial research to further investigate the development and applicability of 4D printing in the future.© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.