Computers are now used routinely as tools in pharmacology, particularly in the areas of teaching, data processing and collection, information retrieval and literature searching, and in molecular modelling and drug design. Their use in these areas has enhanced research activity and has extended and increased the availability of new teaching methods. Here, their impact on the use of animals in both teaching and research is discussed. It is concluded that computers may have some potential to reduce animal experimentation in the medium to long term, but their current use as alternatives to animals has made only a marginal impact on the total number of animals utilised for experimental purposes.