Statement of Principles concerning analgesic nephropathy No. 56 of 1994 (Cth)

Instrument No.56 of 1994

Statement of Principles

concerning

ANALGESIC NEPHROPATHY

ICD CODE: 583.89

Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986
subsection 196B(2)

1.         Being of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that analgesic nephropathy and death from analgesic nephropathy can be related to operational service rendered by veterans, peacekeeping service rendered by members of Peacekeeping forces and hazardous service rendered by members of the Forces, the Repatriation Medical Authority determines, under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, that the factors that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting analgesic nephropathy or death from analgesic nephropathy with the circumstances of that service, are:

(a)       chronic analgesic abuse; or

(b)       inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for analgesic nephropathy.

2.         Subject to clause 3 (below) at least one of the factors set out in paragraphs 1(a) and 1(b) must be related to any service rendered by a person.

3.         The factor set out in paragraph 1(b) applies only where:

(a)       the person’s analgesic nephropathy was contracted prior to a period, or part of a period, of service to which the factor is related; and

(b)       the relationship suggested between the analgesic nephropathy and the particular service of a person is a relationship set out in paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e), 70(5)(d), or 70(5A)(d) of the Act.

4.         For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“analgesic nephropathy” means a form of renal impairment characterised by tubulointerstitial damage and papillary necrosis and presents in individuals who ingest large quantities of analgesic drugs such as aspirin, phenacetin and acetominaphen, attracting ICD code 583.89;

“ICD code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision, effective date of 1 October 1993, copyrighted by the US Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities, and having the Library of Congress number 77-94472.

Dated this       Eighteenth         day of          October   1994

The Common Seal of the    )

Repatriation Medical Authority                   )

was affixed to this instrument   )

in the presence of:   )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN