Drug delivery devices, their manufacture, and their use comprising electrocontractile nanotubes that can be used for precise controlled bioactive substance release for example, medical, veterinary, pharmaceutical compounds and growth factors. The conducting polymer nanotubes significantly decrease the impedance and increase the charge capacity of recording electrode sites on microfabricated electrode devices. Bioactive substances released from the nanotubes can be controlled in a desired fashion by controlled electrical stimulation of the nanotubes.