Statement of Principles
concerning
 
ESSENTIAL THROMBOCYTHAEMIA
No. 15 of 2013
 
for the purposes of the
 
Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
and
Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004
Title
1.         This Instrument may be cited as Statement of Principles concerning essential thrombocythaemia No. 15 of 2013.
Determination
2.         This Statement of Principles is determined by the Repatriation Medical Authority under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA).
Kind of injury, disease or death
3.         (a)        This Statement of Principles is about essential thrombocythaemia and death from essential thrombocythaemia.
(b)        For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, "essential thrombocythaemia" means a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by a sharp increase in the number of circulating platelets, with repeated spontaneous haemorrhages either externally or into the tissues. This definition excludes reactive (secondary) thrombocythaemia.
(c)        Essential thrombocythaemia attracts ICD-10-AM code D47.3.
(d)        In the application of this Statement of Principles, the definition of "essential thrombocythaemia" is that given at paragraph 3(b) above.
Basis for determining the factors
4.         After examining the available sound medical-scientific evidence the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that the only factor that may be related to the cause of or material contribution to or aggravation of essential thrombocythaemia or death from essential thrombocythaemia and which can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans, members of Peacekeeping Forces, or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA) is that set out in clause 5.
Factors that must be related to service
5.         The factor that must as a minimum exist in relation to the circumstances of a person’s relevant service causing or materially contributing to or aggravating essential thrombocythaemia or death from essential thrombocythaemia is inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for essential thrombocythaemia.
Other definitions
6.         For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:
"death from essential thrombocythaemia" in relation to a person includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person’s essential thrombocythaemia;
"ICD-10-AM code" means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Seventh Edition, effective date of 1 July 2010, copyrighted by the National Centre for Classification in Health, Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 978 1 74210 154 5;
"relevant service" means:
(a)                operational service under the VEA;
(b)                peacekeeping service under the VEA;
(c)                hazardous service under the VEA;
(d)               British nuclear test defence service under the VEA;
(e)                warlike service under the MRCA; or
(f)                 non-warlike service under the MRCA;
"terminal event" means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes:
(a)                pneumonia;
(b)               respiratory failure;
(c)                cardiac arrest;
(d)               circulatory failure; or
(e)                cessation of brain function.
Date of effect
7.         This Instrument takes effect from 13 March 2013.
Dated this   fourth   day of   March   2013
The Common Seal of the                    )
Repatriation Medical Authority          )
was affixed to this instrument                        )
in the presence of:                               )
PROFESSOR NICHOLAS SAUNDERS AO
CHAIRPERSON