Home Industries Health Services RIDOH places pharmacist on probation for over misbranded drugs, disorderly space

RIDOH places pharmacist on probation for over misbranded drugs, disorderly space

By

Katie Castellani

-

10/27/2025

RIDOH-1-1-1 — CHARLES AGWUNOBI, owner of AJ Pharmacy on Smith Street, was placed on a one-year probation on Oct. 22 by the R.I. Department of Health

PROVIDENCE – A pharmacist who was already forced to shut down one of his two locations this year has been placed on probation by the R.I. Department of Health. Charles Agwunobi, owner of AJ Pharmacy on Smith Street, was placed on a one-year probation on Oct. 22 after a RIDOH investigation in July uncovered expired

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PROVIDENCE – A pharmacist who was already forced to shut down one of his two locations this year has been placed on probation by the R.I. Department of Health. Charles Agwunobi, owner of AJ Pharmacy on Smith Street, was placed on a one-year probation on Oct. 22 after a RIDOH investigation in July uncovered expired and misbranded drugs in active inventory and schedule II "perpetual inventory count discrepancies." Investigators also said the pharmacy was “disorderly and unorganized and not adequately clean." From July 7 through Sept. 15, RIDOH and the Pharmacy Board Investigators probed allegations of “unprofessional conditions” at the Smith Street location, which Agwunobi serves as the pharmacist in charge. RIDOH also placed the pharmacy's license on probation for two years as part of the consent order. Agwunobi now must immediately clear and organize the entire pharmacy and ensure compliance with all state and federal regulations. Also, he must schedule a comprehensive pharmacy practice management inspection conducted by a third party that RIDOH approves. The inspection must take place within two months or “as practicable as possible” and include an inspection of non-sterile compounding practices. A re-inspection must be conducted about six months after the first inspection and Agwunobi has to notify RIDOH once the inspection has been completed. Within 60 days, the pharmacy must provide RIDOH with a description of its security camera or surveillance system, including backup and retention procedures. The probation comes after RIDOH ordered Agwunobi to hand over the license for the AJ Pharmacy location in North Providence this past summer. RIDOH probed claims of “unprofessional conditions” at the North Providence location from July 7 through July 22. Investigators then found “absence of qualified staff” running the pharmacy. There were also expired medications, improperly secured “controlled substances” and a dysfunctional security system. Agwunobi had told RIDOH that the store doesn’t have the staff needed to operate the pharmacy and voluntarily closed the North Providence location. A representative from AJ Pharmacy did not immediately respond to Providence Business News request for comment. Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.