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Abstract: The development of synthetic polymers for applications in drug delivery is reviewed, with particular reference to polymers that can be activated to release a medicinal agent in vivo or that can respond to changes in environment to enhance the effectiveness of therapy. The mechanisms by which these polymers are designed to deliver drugs are highlighted, along with the challenges facing synthetic chemists and pharmaceutical scientists in designing new and more active therapeutic vehicles. Currently, synthetic materials with biomimetic properties are attracting growing attention as possible new dosage formulations and the potential applications of these increasingly sophisticated polymers in cell-specific drug targeting and in the emerging field of gene therapy are also considered. Finally, the potential development issues for delivery of therapeutics using active or 'smart' polymers are discussed with an analysis of the future trends in this rapidly expanding area of research.