A Cochrane systematic review on immediate-release methylphenidate for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was withdrawn from the Cochrane Library on 26 May 2016 after substantial criticism of its methods and flawed conclusions. Retraction of scientific papers on this basis is unusual but can be necessary. The withdrawn Cochrane review reflects, in many ways, a general inadequacy of clinical ADHD research, but the review authors failed to point out important flaws in the included trials. We provide here a summary of the criticism and discuss the consequences of the withdrawal.