The article is devoted to the analysis of socio-economic aspects of functioning of night pharmacies. There is a contradiction between the needs of the population for pharmaceutical care around the clock and the economic problems of the activities of pharmacy organizations associated with the specifics of the work of night shifts. The purpose of the study is to analyze the demand and necessity of functioning of round-the-clock pharmacies. Materials and methods. A chronometric observation of the activities of night shift workers was conducted by the method of self-photography of the working day using a specially designed card; 120 cards were filled out. Using the author's questionnaires, the opinion of pharmaceutical workers (No. = 126) on the peculiarities of functioning of pharmacies with night shifts and the opinion of consumers of pharmacy organizations (No. = 130) on the availability and use of round-the-clock pharmacies were studied. Results. In the structure of the work shift of night pharmacists, the share of lost working time is significant (23.8%), with a relatively high assessment of the need for the operation of night pharmacies by pharmaceutical workers (3.79 ± 0.08 points on a 5-point scale), none of them considers the round-the-clock mode optimal for a pharmacy organization. According to pharmaceutical workers, the round-the-clock mode of operation contributes to increased customer loyalty (26.2% of respondents), forms a positive image of the pharmacy organization (16.7%), but they doubt that such a mode of operation increases the availability of drug care to the population and brings benefits to customers. The role of night pharmacies in ensuring the availability and continuity of pharmaceutical care to the population is determined: consumers rated the need for the operation of night pharmacies significantly higher than pharmaceutical workers (4.27 ± 0.08 points on a 5-point scale), 63.1% of respondents in total assess the possibility of visiting a night pharmacy as important. Conclusion. Social factors determining consumer preferences when choosing the location and operating hours of pharmacies, as well as economic problems faced by 24-hour pharmacies, have been identified. It is necessary to find a balance between the economic interests of pharmacies and ensuring the availability of pharmaceutical care.

night pharmacies, round-the-clock pharmacies.