Statement of Principles concerning reiter's syndrome No. 17 of 1998 (Cth)

Instrument No.17 of 1998

Revocation and Determination

of

Statement of Principles

concerning

REITER’S SYNDROME

ICD CODE: 099.3

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

1. The Repatriation Medical Authority under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the Act):

(a)       revokes Instrument No.31 of 1994; and

(b)       determines in its place the following Statement of Principles.

Kind of injury, disease or death

1. (a)        This Statement of Principles is about Reiter’s syndrome and death from Reiter’s syndrome.

(b)       For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, “Reiter’s syndrome” means an episode of acute onset peripheral arthritis of more than one month duration occurring in association with urethritis and/or cervicitis, attracting ICD code 099.3.

Basis for determining the factors

1. The Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that Reiter’s syndrome and death from Reiter’s syndrome 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, at least one of the factors set out in clause 5 must be related to any relevant service rendered by the person.

Factors

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

(a)       suffering from an enteric bacterial infection not more than 60 days before the clinical onset of Reiter’s syndrome; or

(b)       suffering from a sexually acquired infection of the urethra not more than 60 days before the clinical onset of Reiter’s syndrome; or

(c)       suffering from an enteric bacterial infection not more than 60 days before the clinical worsening of Reiter’s syndrome; or

(d)       suffering from a sexually acquired infection of the urethra not more than 60 days before the clinical worsening of Reiter’s syndrome; or

(e)       inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for Reiter’s syndrome.

Factors that apply only to material contribution or aggravation

1. Paragraphs 5(c) to 5(e) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, Reiter’s syndrome where the person’s Reiter’s syndrome 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:

“enteric bacterial infection” means infection from bacteria, including Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia, or Campylobacter, resulting in diarrhoea;

“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 1996, copyrighted by the National Coding Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 0 642 24447 2;

“relevant service” means:

(a)       operational service; or

(b)       peacekeeping service; or

(c)       hazardous service.

Application

1. This Instrument applies to all matters to which section 120A of the Act applies.

Dated this       Twenty-seventh         day of              March         1998

The Common Seal of the    )

Repatriation Medical Authority                   )

was affixed to this instrument   )

in the presence of   )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN