A Miami-Dade pharmacy’s old drugs and refrigerator mold put a pharmacist on probation
The state Board of Pharmacy put a Homestead pharmacist on probation after Florida Department of Health inspections found mold and expired drugs in the pharmacy he was managing.
Sreedhar Sontineni’s one-year probation and $2,500 fine are part of the punishment package for the problems at Royal Palm Pharmacy — My Pharmacy, 806 Krome Ave., where Sontineni was prescription department manager during two 2021 inspections.
Sontineni’s online Department of Health profile says he’s been a licensed pharmacist since June 2016 with no previous disciplinary actions.
Documents in the pharmacy board’s final order says the allegations in the administrative complaint against Sontineni weren’t disputed. The complaint listed three main violations from Jan. 19, 2021, and March 19, 2021, inspections of Royal Palm:
▪ “Registered pharmacy technicians and/or pharmacists weren’t properly identified,” meaning a badge or monogrammed smock with their licensed position.
▪ “Expired medications were among active stock.”
▪ “The prescription department was not clean and/or safe with the documented presence of mold in the prescription department refrigerator.”
Sontineni must also pay $767 in Department of Health investigative costs and complete a 12-hour continuing education course on laws and rules.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 10:25 AM.
