Puerto Rico plaintiffs drop Ritalin action

Attorneys for plaintiffs in a Puerto Rico class action against Novartis,manufacturer of Ritalin (methylphenidate), the American Psychiatric Association and Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, have notified the court that they are dismissing their case against the defendants. Their lawsuit, served in February 2001, had claimed that the defendants conspired to promote the diagnosis of ADHD.

The plaintiffs' decision follows a similar move by such claimants in Florida and dismissed by the courts in lawsuits filed in California (Marketletter March 19) and Texas (Marketletter May 28).