{"id":"F2025L00727","name":"Statement of Principles concerning benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 63 of 2025)","slug":"statement-of-principles-concerning-benign-neoplasm-of-the-eye-and-adnexa-balance-of-probabilities-no","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442869,"registerId":"F2025L00727-fast-fetch-1775957794548","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Statement of Principles concerning benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 63 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\nBENIGN NEOPLASM OF THE EYE AND ADNEXA   (Balance of Probabilities)\n\n(No. 63 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 20 June2025\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 benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 63 of 2025).\n\n1.                Commencement\n\n\n              This instrument commences on 21 July 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 benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 42 of 2016) (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2016L00569) 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 benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa and death from benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa.\n\n\nMeaning of benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa:\n  1.           means a non-malignant neoplastic proliferation of the cells of the eye classified according to site as conjunctiva, cornea, retina, choroid, ciliary body, lacrimal gland, lacrimal duct and orbit; and\n  2.           excludes:\n    1.             benign neoplasm of the eyelid;\n    2.          benign neoplasm of the optic nerve;\n    3.        benign neoplasm of the orbital bone;\n    4.         haemangioma;\n    5.           lipoma of the eye;\n    6.         lymphangioma;\n    7.      melanocytic naevi;\n    8.    meningioma;\n    9.         neurofibromatosis;\n    10.           ocular surface squamous dysplasia;\n    11.         retinal vasoproliferative tumours.\n\n\nNote: The adnexa are accessory structures supporting the eye and include the lacrimal gland, lacrimal duct, conjunctival sac and orbit except for the eye and optic nerve.\n\n1.           While benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa attracts ICD‑10‑AM codes: D31.0, D31.1, D31.2, D31.3, D31.4 and D31.5, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa 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 benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa.\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 benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa and death from benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa 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, benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa or death from benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:\n\n1.           having persistent infection of the epithelium of the conjunctiva with human papilloma virus (HPV) (strains 5b, 6, 6a, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 31, 33 or 45) before clinical onset of papilloma of the conjunctiva;\n2.           inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa 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, benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa where the person's benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa 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                             benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa—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":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument maintains the established scope of Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles. It replaces the 2016 version of the same instrument (No. 42 of 2016) without expanding beyond the original purpose of determining service connection for benign eye neoplasms. The structure, referencing scheme, and limitation to specific HPV strains and clinical management factors remain consistent with the original intent of providing medical evidentiary standards for veterans' compensation claims."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple nested definitions requiring cross-referencing (e.g., 'benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa' defined in section 7(2), then referenced in Schedule 1)","11 specific exclusions in the definition section requiring careful parsing","Conditional logic in section 10(2) limiting the 'inability to obtain appropriate clinical management' factor to pre-existing conditions aggravated by service","Cross-referencing between three legislative schemes (VEA eligible war service, VEA defence service, MRCA peacetime service)","Technical medical terminology requiring specialist knowledge (ICD-10-AM codes, specific HPV strains 5b, 6, 6a, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 31, 33 or 45)","Incorporation by reference to external medical classification system (ICD-10-AM Tenth Edition)","Section 11 creates dynamic referencing to other Statements of Principles that may change over time ('as in force from time to time')","Specific temporal requirements ('before clinical onset', 'before clinical worsening') creating precise evidentiary thresholds"],"plain_english_summary":"This rulebook guides compensation decisions for Australian veterans and defence personnel with benign neoplasms of the eye and adnexa, using the balance-of-probabilities test to link the condition to service. \n\nIt identifies persistent conjunctival HPV infection and service-related lack of medical care as the primary causal pathways, excludes several other tumour types to avoid overlap, and updates the 2016 guidance to clarify evidence needed for pensions and compensation."},"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"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument repeals the 2016 Statement of Principles (s4) and substitutes a new set of qualifying factors, explicit exclusions, and definitions that will govern claims from 21 July 2025 (s2, s4). The new statement: (a) lists specific HPV strains as a qualifying factor and an access-to-care factor (s9); (b) narrows how material contribution or aggravation applies for pre-existing conditions by timing the application of s9(2) to conditions suffered or contracted before or during (but not arising out of) service (s10(2)); and (c) requires factors to be related to the person’s relevant service (s10(1)). These changes alter which medical facts will satisfy service connection for VEA s120B and MRCA s339 claims (s5)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow medical scope with precise inclusions and many exclusions (definitions and exclusions for sites and conditions) (see section 7(2)).","Specific biological evidentiary requirement listing HPV strains (strains 5b, 6, 6a, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 31, 33 or 45) as a qualifying factor, which may be technically demanding to prove clinically (see section 9(1)).","Alternative non-biological qualifying factor requires showing inability to obtain appropriate clinical management before clinical worsening, creating evidentiary and factual enquiries about access to care and timing (see section 9(2)).","Requirement that any qualifying factor be related to the person's relevant service, with a timing/causation limitation for material contribution/aggravation for pre-existing conditions (see section 10(1)–(2)).","Interplay with other Statements of Principles — where a factor refers to another injury/disease, that other Statement’s factors apply and must be checked (see section 11).","Statutory context and decision-maker: the instrument is made by the Repatriation Medical Authority under subsection 196B(3) of the VEA, which frames who sets the medical criteria (see Authority).","Administrative lifecycle details that affect claims handling: repeal of the 2016 Statement and a fixed commencement date (repeal and commencement may affect existing and future claims) (see sections 2 and 4).","Reference to ICD‑10‑AM codes and an external edition for coding (adds technical classification dependency) (see section 7(4)).","Definitions in Schedule 1 (e.g. 'relevant service', 'terminal event') materially affect application and require cross-referencing (see Schedule 1).","Evidentiary standard is balance of probabilities, which is legal rather than medical and affects how medical evidence is assessed against the criteria (see section 8)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Statement of Principles defines when a benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa (and death from it) can be accepted as connected with a veteran’s or member’s relevant service for VEA or MRCA claims. It lists specific medical criteria (notably certain persistent HPV infections or inability to obtain appropriate clinical management before worsening), sets exclusions, and replaces the 2016 statement. It matters because it determines which medical facts will, on the balance of probabilities, establish service connection for compensation or rehabilitation claims."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-benign-neoplasm-of-the-eye-and-adnexa-balance-of-probabilities-no","history":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-benign-neoplasm-of-the-eye-and-adnexa-balance-of-probabilities-no/history","analysis":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-benign-neoplasm-of-the-eye-and-adnexa-balance-of-probabilities-no/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-benign-neoplasm-of-the-eye-and-adnexa-balance-of-probabilities-no/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-benign-neoplasm-of-the-eye-and-adnexa-balance-of-probabilities-no/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-benign-neoplasm-of-the-eye-and-adnexa-balance-of-probabilities-no/documents"}}