Sialic acids are a ubiquitous family of negatively charged sugar molecules found on the surfaces of mammalian cells, usually at the termini of glycans attached to glycoproteins, glycosphingolipids, and the proteoglycan keratan sulfate (2, 10, 72). Sialic acid is an essential component of cell surface receptors for a variety of microorganisms and microbial toxins (2,34,47). Members of at least eight different virus families-Ortho-

With the approval of first 3D printed drug “spritam” by USFDA, 3D printing is gaining acceptance in healthcare, engineering and other aspects of life. Taking 3D printing towards the next step gives birth to what is referred to as “4D printing”. The full credit behind the unveiling of 4D printing technology in front of the world goes to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who revealed “time” in this technology as the fourth dimension.  4D printing is a renovation of 3D printing wherein special materials (referred to as smart materials) are incorporated which change their morphology post printing in response to a stimulus. Depending upon the applicability of this technology, there may be a variety of stimuli, most common among them being pH, water, heat, wind and other forms of energy.  The upper hand of 4D printing over 3D printing is that 3D printed structures are generally immobile, rigid and inanimate whereas 4D printed structures are flexible, mobile and able to interact with the surrounding environment based on the stimulus. This capability of 4D printing to transform 3D structures into smart structures in response to various stimuli promises a great potential for biomedical and bioengineering applications. The potential of 4D printing in developing pre-programmed biomaterials that can undergo transformations lays new foundations for enabling smart pharmacology, personalized medicine, and smart drug delivery, all of which can help in combating diseases in a smarter way. Hence, the theme of this paper is about the potential of 4D printing in creating smart drug delivery, smart pharmacology, targeted drug delivery and better patient compliance. The paper highlights the recent advancements of 4D printing in healthcare sector and ways by which 4D printing is doing wonders in creating smart drug delivery and tailored medicine. The major constraints in the approach have also been highlighted. Keywords: 4D printing, smart, drug delivery system, patient compliance, biomaterials, tailored medicine

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Three-Dimensional (3D) printing is a process where objects are made in successive layers under computer control by fusing or depositing materials. The objects can be of nearly any shape or geometry and come in a computer-aided (CAD) design from 3D model. Since 3D printing began in 1984, it has changed enormously and has been used in a wide range of fields, including medicine and architecture. 3D printing moves rapidly and in future will transform and change the way we live and work from laboratory-based organs to pharmaceutical supplies. 3D printing in pharmaceuticals has been used to produce many novel dosage forms like microcapsules, complex drug-release profiles, nanosuspensions, and multilayered drug delivery devices. It also offers important advantages from the industrial point of view such as cost-efficiency, higher productivity, democracy-making and enhanced cooperation. Keeping in view the recent approval given by USFDA to many drug the focus has now shifted to the personalized medicine as it offers an important benefit to patients who need medications that have narrow therapeutic index or a higher predilection to be influenced by genetic polymorphisms. 3D printer is now seen as a valuable, efficient and economical tool to manufacture individualized medications, tailored to specific patients based on their needs and thereby change the future of pharmacy practice in general and pharmaceutical care in particular.