Foreign Settlement Program

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9/14/98--Claims Office has thus far approved as equivalent to US board-certification for purposes of the foreign settlement program:

• England.  Fellows in good standing of the Royal College of Surgeons of England who have been awarded that organization's Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training in Neurosurgery.  Also, Fellows in good standing of the Royal College of Physicians of England who have been awarded that organization's Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training in Neurology, General (Internal) Medicine, Immunology, or Rheumatology
• Finland. A postgraduate specialty degree in allergology, immunology, neurosurgery, neurology, internal medicine, or rheumatology from the Universities of Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Oulu, or Kuopio in Finland.
• Germany. Designation of medical specialist in internal medicine, rheumatology, neurosurgery, or neurology, granted by the German Federal Medical Board.
• Israel.  Physicians licensed by the Department of Medical Professions of the State of Israel to practice as a specialist in internal medicine, immunlogy, rheumatology, neurology, or neurosurgery.
• Norway. Specialist approval by the Norwegian Medical Association in internal medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, or rheumatology
• South Africa. Medical specilists in neurology, neurosurgery, internal medicine, or rheumatology registered with the South African Medical and Dental Council
• Sweden. Specialist approval by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare in neurosurgery, internal medicine, allergology, neurology, or rheumatology
• Switzerland. Title of medical specialist granted by FMH Swiss Medical Association in allergology and clinical immunology, internal medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, and rheumatology

Claims Office is continuing to evaluate requests that equivalencies to US board-certification be approved for physicians certified in other countries for various specialties.

The court has approved for distribution to potentially eligible foreign claimants a detailed notice of a Foreign Settlement Program (FSP) offered by Bristol, Baxter, and 3M. The notice, which is dated June 15, 1998, includes certain attached Exhibits and a Claim Form.

The Notice, Exhibits, and Claim Form will be mailed by the Claims Office to all persons (or their attorneys) who have requested this information as a result of the earlier distributed notice to foreign claimants who had registered by the March 1, 1995, deadline. On request, these documents will also be mailed by the Claims Office to potential claimants or their attorneys who have not previously made such a request.

June 15, 1999, is the deadline under the RSPF for the Claims Office to receive the Claim Form accompanied by acceptable proof of the claimant's identity and acceptable proof that at least one of her breast implants is covered by the FSP. Note that proof of manufacturer must be in English (or translated into English).

For viewing and printing, click on Notice, Exhibit B2 (list of settling defendants and released parties), Exhibit G2 (list of implant brands and manufacturers), or Foreign Claim Form. Note that, because of differences in Internet browsers, the printed versions will differ from the "hard copies" distributed by the Claims Office.