{"id":"F2025L00967","name":"Statement of Principles concerning ascariasis (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 66 of 2025)","slug":"statement-of-principles-concerning-ascariasis-balance-of-probabilities-no-66-of-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442923,"registerId":"F2025L00967-fast-fetch-1775957839294","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Statement of Principles concerning ascariasis (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 66 of 2025)","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![RMA Australian Government Coat of Arms](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nStatement of Principles\n\nconcerning\n\nASCARIASIS  (Balance of Probabilities)\n\n(No. 66 of 2025)\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n \n\nDated 22 August 2025\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nProfessor Terence Campbell AM\n\nChairperson\n\nby and on behalf of\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority\n\n \n\n   \n\n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Repeal\n\n5 Application\n\n6 Definitions\n\n7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n\n8 Basis for determining the factors\n\n9 Factors that must exist\n\n10 Relationship to service\n\n11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary\n\n1 Definitions\n\n \n\n \n\n\n\n\n1.                Name\n\n\nThis is the Statement of Principles concerning ascariasis (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 66 of 2025).\n\n1.                Commencement\n\n\n              This instrument commences on 22 September 2025.\n\n1.                Authority\n\n\nThis instrument is made under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n1.                Repeal\n\n\nThe Statement of Principles concerning ascariasis (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 10 of 2017) (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2017L00016) made under subsection 196B(3) of the VEA is repealed.\n\n1.                Application\n\n\nThis instrument applies to a claim to which section 120B of the VEA or section 339 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.\n\n1.                Definitions\n\n\nThe terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.\n\n1.                Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n  1.           This Statement of Principles is about ascariasis and death from ascariasis.\n\n\nMeaning of ascariasis\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, ascariasis means an infection with the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides or Ascaris suum.\n\n\nNote 1: The primary species involved in human infection is Ascaris lumbricoides.\n\nNote 2: Ascaris suum is a zoonotic species primarily infecting pigs but capable of infecting humans.\n\n1.           While ascariasis attracts ICD‑10‑AM code B77, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of ascariasis is that given in subsection (2).\n2.           For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.\n\n\nDeath from ascariasis\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, ascariasis, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's ascariasis.\n\n\nNote: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.                Basis for determining the factors\n\n\nOn the sound medical‑scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that ascariasis and death from ascariasis can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.\n\nNote: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.                Factors that must exist\n\n\nAt least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, ascariasis or death from ascariasis is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:\n\n1.           being exposed to Ascaris lumbricoides or Ascaris suum as a result of:\n  1.           being in contact with soil or sand contaminated with eggs; or\n  2.           being in contact with human or animal faeces contaminated with eggs; or\n  3.           ingesting food, drink, or airborne dust contaminated with eggs; or\n  4.           being in a tropical or subtropical region with poor sanitation; or\n  5.           being in warm and damp conditions with poor sanitation;\n\n\nwithin the 2 years before clinical onset;\n\n1.           inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for ascariasis before clinical worsening.\n\n\n1.            Relationship to service\n  1.           The existence in a person of any factor referred to in section 9, must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person.\n  2.           The factor set out in subsection 9(2) applies only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, ascariasis where the person's ascariasis was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person's relevant service.\n2.            Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\n\nIn this Statement of Principles:\n\n1.           if a factor referred to in section 9 applies in relation to a person; and\n2.           that factor refers to an injury or disease in respect of which a Statement of Principles has been determined under subsection 196B(3) of the VEA;\n\n\nthen the factors in that Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.\n\n \n\n \n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary  \n\nNote:               See Section 6\n\n1               Definitions\n\nIn this instrument:\n\n                               ascariasis—see subsection 7(2).\n\n                             MRCA means the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.\n\n                             relevant service means:\n\n(a)          eligible war service (other than operational service) under the VEA;\n\n(b)          defence service (other than hazardous service and British nuclear test defence service) under the VEA; or\n\n(c)          peacetime service under the MRCA.\n\nNote: MRCA and VEA are also defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n                             terminal event means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes the following:\n\n(a)           pneumonia;\n\n(b)           respiratory failure;\n\n(c)           cardiac arrest;\n\n(d)           circulatory failure; or\n\n(e)           cessation of brain function.\n\n                             VEA means the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument expressly repeals the 2017 Statement of Principles (s.4) and so replaces the prior instrument. It continues to apply to the same categories of claims under the VEA and MRCA (s.5), but the text does not specify within this instrument what substantive differences (if any) exist between the 2017 and 2025 versions beyond the repeal."},"complexity_factors":["Legal cross‑references to multiple Acts and claim provisions (VEA, MRCA, ss.120B and 339) increase administrative checks (s.5).","Medical causation standard set at ‘balance of probabilities’ but applied to infectious disease timing and exposure evidence (s.8, s.9).","Temporal linkage requirement (exposure within 2 years before clinical onset) imposes evidentiary burdens on claimants (s.9).","Inclusion of death from ascariasis and definition of terminal events expands outcome scope (s.7(3), Schedule 1).","Interaction with other Statements of Principles requires cross‑referencing when factors overlap (s.11).","Defined terms and ICD code reference require careful interpretation by decision‑makers and clinicians (s.7(2)–(3), Schedule 1)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Statement of Principles sets the medical criteria the Repatriation Medical Authority uses to decide if ascariasis (infection by Ascaris lumbricoides or A. suum) is connected with a person's relevant service.\n\nIt applies to claims under section 120B of the VEA or section 339 of the MRCA (s.5), requires proof of service‑related exposure or inability to obtain appropriate clinical management within two years before clinical onset (s.9), and repeals the 2017 Statement (s.4)."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument maintains the same narrow scope as its 2017 predecessor and the standard template for RMA Statements of Principles. It addresses only ascariasis (a specific parasitic infection) and its relationship to veteran service. There is no scope creep — the instrument does not expand into other diseases, broader compensation categories, or administrative procedures beyond the core determination of service connection."},"complexity_factors":["Short, focused instrument (approximately 1,500 words)","Only 6 defined terms in the Dictionary (ascariasis, MRCA, relevant service, terminal event, VEA, plus recursive definitions)","Simple binary structure: one factor for initial onset (section 9(1)), one factor for worsening of pre-existing condition (section 9(2))","Minimal cross-referencing — primarily internal references to the Dictionary and standard references to the parent Acts (VEA and MRCA)","No nested exceptions or conditional logic beyond the basic 'at least one factor must exist' requirement","Straightforward temporal limitation: 'within the 2 years before clinical onset'","Single purpose instrument — deals only with ascariasis and death from ascariasis, with no ancillary provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"This Statement of Principles sets the legal test used to decide whether Australian veterans and current/former defence personnel can get compensation or treatment for ascariasis (infection with Ascaris species) by linking the condition to eligible war, defence or peacetime service. The Repatriation Medical Authority finds ascariasis can be service-related if exposure or service‑related lack of timely treatment is shown. It replaces the 2017 version to ensure consistent, evidence-based decisions."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-ascariasis-balance-of-probabilities-no-66-of-2025","history":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-ascariasis-balance-of-probabilities-no-66-of-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-ascariasis-balance-of-probabilities-no-66-of-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-ascariasis-balance-of-probabilities-no-66-of-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-ascariasis-balance-of-probabilities-no-66-of-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-ascariasis-balance-of-probabilities-no-66-of-2025/documents"}}