Computer modeling, simulations and other software programs are an invaluable tool for preliminary data, as they help to predict what may happen in experimental conditions. They allow researchers to quickly and cheaply predict the outcomes of an experiment, ideal chemical compounds and adverse side effects to these compounds, and any number of other things.
However, these techniques only suffice for preliminary predictions of what may happen, at best. Sometimes the software may be inherently flawed and may not be able to take all variables into account. Most importantly, there are many variables that are not known, and therefore CANNOT be accounted for in software modeling. Particularly in the whole organism, we don't understand everything that is going on (hence the need for ongoing research). Therefore, we have no way of predicting with 100% accuracy how a physiological process occurs, how disease states may be altered by experimental conditions or therapeutics, and many other important experimental questions. Computer modeling can perhaps predict the response of a known set of variables, but we do not know all of these variables and how they interact, and thus cannot predict what will occur in the body.
Having said that, I fully support computer models for educational purposes. For example, high school biology students hardly need to cut up dead frogs in order to understand basic organ systems and concepts that are already fully known. On the other hand, clinicians and other professionals in training to actually practice medicine or conduct other patient procedures need practice on the real thing, which at times requires the use of animals.
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