4.5.3 How are Statements of Principles Made and Used?

How are SoPs made?

The Repatriation Medical Authority [glossary:(:]RMA) decides the SoPs after extensive investigations of the medical literature and research available worldwide. They are then gazetted in the Australian Government Gazette and tabled in both Houses of Federal Parliament. They become effective from the date they are signed by the Chairman of the RMA and remain law unless either House of the Australian Parliament disallows them. Veterans and ex-service organisations can ask the RMA to make a new SoP if one does not already exist or to review a SoP if they believe that there is additional information available. This additional material needs to be sound medical-scientific evidence rather than a personal medical report or passages from a textbook.    

How are SoPs used?

SoPs provide a list of factors causally related to a particular medical condition. SoPs alone determine what factors can be said to cause a medical condition that is the subject of a claim for disability compensation payment. A veteran or dependant can look at the list of factors and see if any might be applicable to their particular circumstances. Decision-makers must decide whether any of the factors in the SoP for the condition being investigated apply to the person making the claim. If one of the factors applies then the decision-maker must see if it is also connected to the service of the serviceman or servicewoman.