Statement of Principles concerning acute myeloid leukaemia (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 21 of 2024) (Cth)

Statement of Principles concerning ACUTE MYELOID LEUKAEMIA (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 21 of 2024) The Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

Dated 22 February 2024.

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 acute myeloid leukaemia (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 21 of 2024). 2 Commencement This instrument commences on 26 March 2024. 3 Authority This instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. 4 Repeal The Statement of Principles concerning acute myeloid leukaemia No. 71 of 2015 (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2015L00903) made under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA is repealed. 5 Application This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004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 acute myeloid leukaemia and death from acute myeloid leukaemia. Meaning of acute myeloid leukaemia (2) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, acute myeloid leukaemia: (a) means a malignant neoplasm of the blood characterised by clonal proliferation of morphologically immature cells committed to the myeloid cell lineage, with an excess of myeloblasts in bone marrow, peripheral blood or other tissues; and (b) includes: (i) acute myeloid leukaemia with defining genetic abnormalities (for example, acute myeloid leukaemia with NPM1 mutation); (ii) acute myeloid leukaemia, myelodysplasia-related genetic abnormalities; (iii) acute myeloid leukaemia with minimal differentiation, or without maturation or with maturation; (iv) acute myeloblastic leukaemia; (v) acute promyelocytic leukaemia; (vi) acute myelomonocytic leukaemia; (vii) acute monoblastic/monocytic leukaemia; (viii) acute erythroid leukaemia; (ix) acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia; (x) acute basophilic leukaemia; (xi) acute panmyelosis with myelofibrosis; (xii) myeloid sarcoma; (xiii) acute myeloid leukaemia, not otherwise specified; and (c) excludes: (i) chronic myeloid leukaemia; and (ii) myelodysplastic syndrome. Death from acute myeloid leukaemia (3) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, acute myeloid leukaemia, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's acute myeloid leukaemia. Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. 8 Basis for determining the factors The Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that acute myeloid leukaemia and death from acute myeloid leukaemia 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 MRCA. Note: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. 9 Factors that must exist At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting acute myeloid leukaemia or death from acute myeloid leukaemia with the circumstances of a person's relevant service: