Statement of Principles concerning polymyalgia rheumatica No. 89 of 1996 (Cth)

Instrument No.89 of 1996

Determination

of

Statement of Principles

concerning

POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA

ICD CODE: 725

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

1. This Statement of Principles is determined by the Repatriation Medical Authority under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the Act).

Kind of injury, disease or death

1. (a) This Statement of Principles is about polymyalgia rheumatica and death from polymyalgia rheumatica.

(b) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, “polymyalgia rheumatica” means a clinical syndrome characterised by acute onset of symmetrical limb girdle aching and stiffness, along with evidence of an underlying systemic inflammatory reaction, attracting ICD code 725.

Basis for determining the factors

1. The Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that polymyalgia rheumatica can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans, members of Peacekeeping Forces, or members of the Forces.

Factors that must be related to service

1. Subject to clause 6, the factor set out in the paragraph in clause 5 must be related to any relevant service rendered by the person.

Factors

1. The factor that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting polymyalgia rheumatica or death from polymyalgia rheumatica with the circumstances of a person’s relevant service is:

(a)        inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for polymyalgia rheumatica.

Factors that apply only to material contribution or aggravation

1. Paragraph 5(a) applies only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, polymyalgia rheumatica where the person’s polymyalgia rheumatica was suffered or contracted before or during (but not arising out of) the person’s relevant service; paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e), 70(5)(d) or 70(5A)(d) of the Act refers.

Other definitions

1. For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“ICD code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in the Australian Version of The International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), effective date of 1 July 1995, copyrighted by the National Coding Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 0 642 22235 5;

“relevant service” means:

(a)       operational service; or

(b)       peacekeeping service; or

(c)       hazardous service.

Dated this       Eighteenth  day of              June               1996

The Common Seal of the    )

Repatriation Medical Authority                   )

was affixed to this instrument   )

in the presence of   )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN