Abstract
Continuous delivery of drugs from portable and implantable pumps offers several advantages over intermittent therapy, including control and maintenance of blood levels of the drug within a narrow therapeutic range, and increased predictability of response. Clinical applications are discussed in the areas of diabetes mellitus, infertility and delayed puberty, iron overload, anticoagulation, analgesia, prevention of premature labour, cardiac arrhythmias, dissolution of gallstones and anticancer therapy.