Amendment Statement of Principles

concerning

NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA

No. 86 of 2014

for the purposes of the

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

and

Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004

1. This Instrument may be cited as Amendment Statement of Principles concerning non-Hodgkin's lymphoma No. 86 of 2014.
2. The Repatriation Medical Authority amends, under subsection 196B(8) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, Statement of Principles concerning non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Instrument No. 28 of 2010, as amended by Instrument No. 57 of 2014, by:

(A)        Replacing the definition of "non-Hodgkin's lymphoma" in clause 3(b) as follows:

'"non-Hodgkin's lymphoma" means a heterogeneous group of malignant lymphoproliferative diseases that originate from T and B lymphocytes, which lack Reed-Sternberg cells, and present as solid tumours of the immune system.  This definition includes Burkitt’s lymphoma, mycosis fungoides, adult T cell lymphoma/leukaemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma arising within parenchymal organs, and excludes myeloma, hairy cell leukaemia, Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma.';

(B)         Deleting clauses 3(c) and 3(d);

(C)         Replacing factor (e) in clause 6 as follows:

"(e) for Richter's syndrome only, having chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma at the time of the clinical onset of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; or";

(D)        Replacing the definitions of "relevant service" and "Richter's syndrome" in clause 9 as follows:

'"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;';

'"Richter’s syndrome" means a form of high-grade large cell lymphoma, characterised by systemic symptoms, rapid tumour growth and extra-nodal involvement, which develops in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia;'; and

(E)         Deleting the definition of "ICD-10-AM code" in clause 9.

3.                     The amendments made by this instrument apply to all matters to which Instrument No. 28 of 2010, as amended by Instrument No. 57 of 2014, section 120A of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 and section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 apply.

4.                     The amendments made by this instrument take effect from 22 September 2014.

Dated this   twenty-second   day of   August   2014

The Common Seal of the  )

Repatriation Medical Authority )

was affixed at the direction of: )

PROFESSOR NICHOLAS SAUNDERS AO

CHAIRPERSON