A possible relationship between alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency and pancreatitis was studied. Pi phenotype distribution in a group of 90 patients with proven pancreatitis was compared to a control group of 549 randomly selected blood donors. No significant differences were found between the patient group and the controls, nor between acute and chronic forms of pancreatitis. It is concluded that alpha 1-antitrypsin phenotype does not play an important role in pancreatic disease.