The unique optical, chemical, and biological properties of gold nanoparticles have resulted in them becoming of clinical interest in several applications including drug and gene delivery. The attractive features of gold nanoparticles include their surface plasmon resonance, the controlled manner in which they interact with thiol groups, and their non-toxic nature. These attributes can be exploited to provide an effective and selective platform to obtain a targeted intracellular release of some substance. The use of gold nanoparticles can also increase the stability of the payload. Here we review recent advances in the use of gold nanoparticles in drug and gene delivery systems. The topics of surface modification, site-specificity and drugs and gene and gene delivery are discussed.