Statement of Principles concerning dermatomyositis (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 70 of 2022) (Cth)

Statement of Principles concerning DERMATOMYOSITIS (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 70 of 2022) The Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

Dated 24 June 2022

The Common Seal of the Repatriation Medical Authority was affixed to this instrument at the direction of:

Professor Terence Campbell AM Chairperson

Contents 1 Name 2 Commencement 3 Authority 4 Repeal 5 Application 6 Definitions 7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates 8 Basis for determining the factors 9 Factors that must exist 10 Relationship to service 11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles Schedule 1 - Dictionary 1 Definitions

1 Name This is the Statement of Principles concerning dermatomyositis (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 70 of 2022). 2 Commencement This instrument commences on 25 July 2022. 3 Authority This instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. 4 Repeal The Statement of Principles concerning dermatomyositis No. 9 of 2014 (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2014L00008) made under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA is repealed. 5 Application This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies. 6 Definitions The terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument. 7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates (1) This Statement of Principles is about dermatomyositis and death from dermatomyositis. Meaning of dermatomyositis (2) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, dermatomyositis: (a) means a chronic inflammatory disease characterised by inflammatory skin changes, usually accompanied by progressive and symmetric skeletal muscle weakness; and (b) includes amyopathic dermatomyositis. Note 1: Typical skin changes include a heliotrope rash, and red or violet, sometimes scaly, slightly raised papules that erupt on the finger joints or other bony extremities (Gottron papules). Typical muscle disease involves progressive and symmetrical weakness of the limb-girdle muscles, with or without dysphagia and respiratory muscle weakness. Note 2: The diagnosis may be confirmed by elevation of serum levels of muscle-associated enzymes, biopsy, imaging or the presence of myositis-associated antibodies.