Veterans Health CentreVeterans Health CentreExpert DVA Doctor
0429 146 039Book appointment

SoP Library › Hashimoto thyroiditis

Statement of Principles

Hashimoto thyroiditis — DVA SoP factors

Every factor in the Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles for Hashimoto thyroiditis. DVA can only accept a claim for Hashimoto thyroiditis if at least one of these factors is met and connected to your service. Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) applies to operational service; Balance of Probabilities (BoP) applies to peacetime service.

How a VHC DVA claim worksAll 357 SoPsBook appointment

Source: Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles as held by the Veterans Health Centre. SoPs are amended and replaced regularly; always confirm the current instrument at rma.gov.au before relying on it.

Hashimoto thyroiditis

RH No. 1 of 2022 · BoP No. 2 of 202238 factors

Meaning of hashimoto thyroiditis: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, Hashimoto thyroiditis: (a) means a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland characterised by varying degrees of lymphocytic infiltration and fibrosis of the thyroid gland, and typically presenting with a high titre of circulating antibodies against thyroid peroxidase (TPO) or thyroglobulin (Tg); and (b) includes: (i) goitrous thyroiditis; (ii) atrophic thyroiditis; and (iii) chronic autoimmune thyroiditis with transient thyrotoxicosis (Hashitoxicosis); and (c) excludes: (i) Graves disease; (ii) non-autoimmune chronic thyroiditis; (iii) postpartum thyroiditis; (iv) secondary hypothyroidism; and (v) subacute thyroiditis.

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 1 of 2022

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 Hashimoto thyroiditis or death from Hashimoto thyroiditis with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

  1. (1)
    having iodine excess within the 6 months before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: Iodine excess may be due to consuming foods, dietary supplements or medications with a high content of iodine.

    Note: iodine excess is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  2. (2)
    taking a drug from the Specified List 1 of drugs within the 1 year before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: Specified List 1 of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  3. (3)
    undergoing a course of therapeutic radiation for cancer, where the thyroid gland was in the field of radiation, within the 10 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  4. (4)
    having received iodine-131 (radioactive iodine) treatment within the 10 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  5. (5)
    having infection with hepatitis C virus at the time of the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  6. (6)
    being obese for at least 5 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: being obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  7. (7)
    in a person with a prior history of a regular smoking habit as specified, permanently ceasing to smoke within the 5 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: regular smoking habit as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  8. (8)
    having postpartum thyroiditis within the 10 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  9. (9)
    having posttraumatic stress disorder at the time of the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  10. (10)
    for Hashimoto thyroiditis first presenting as myxoedema coma only, having an acute precipitating event within the 48 hours before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: acute precipitating event and myxoedema coma are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  11. (11)
    having iodine excess within the 6 months before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: Iodine excess may be due to consuming foods, dietary supplements or medications with a high content of iodine.

    Note: iodine excess is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  12. (12)
    taking a drug from the Specified List 2 of drugs for a continuous period of at least 2 weeks, within the 1 year before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: Specified List 2 of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  13. (13)
    undergoing a course of therapeutic radiation for cancer, where the thyroid gland was in the field of radiation, within the 10 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  14. (14)
    having received iodine-131 (radioactive iodine) treatment within the 10 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  15. (15)
    having infection with hepatitis C virus at the time of the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  16. (16)
    being obese for at least 5 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: being obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  17. (17)
    in a person with a prior history of a regular smoking habit as specified, permanently ceasing to smoke within the 5 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: regular smoking habit as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  18. (18)
    having postpartum thyroiditis within the 10 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  19. (19)
    having posttraumatic stress disorder at the time of the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  20. (20)
    being pregnant or within the 12 months postpartum at the time of the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  21. (21)
    for myxoedema coma only, having an acute precipitating event within the 48 hours before that clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: acute precipitating event and myxoedema coma are defined in the Schedule 1- Dictionary.

  22. (22)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for Hashimoto thyroiditis;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(11) to 9(22) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.

Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 2 of 2022

16 factors

At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, Hashimoto thyroiditis or death from Hashimoto thyroiditis is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

  1. (1)
    having iodine excess within the 3 months before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: Iodine excess may be due to consuming foods, dietary supplements or medications with a high content of iodine.

    Note: iodine excess is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  2. (2)
    taking a drug from the Specified List 1 of drugs within the 1 year before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: Specified List 1 of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  3. (3)
    undergoing a course of therapeutic radiation for cancer, where the thyroid gland was in the field of radiation, within the 10 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  4. (4)
    having received iodine-131 (radioactive iodine) treatment within the 10 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  5. (5)
    being obese for at least 5 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: being obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  6. (6)
    having postpartum thyroiditis within the 10 years before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  7. (7)
    for Hashimoto thyroiditis first presenting as myxoedema coma only, having an acute precipitating event within the 48 hours before the clinical onset of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: acute precipitating event and myxoedema coma are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  8. (8)
    having iodine excess within the 3 months before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: Iodine excess may be due to consuming foods, dietary supplements or medications with a high content of iodine.

    Note: iodine excess is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  9. (9)
    taking a drug from the Specified List 2 of drugs for a continuous period of at least 2 weeks, within the 1 year before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: Specified List 2 of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  10. (10)
    undergoing a course of therapeutic radiation for cancer, where the thyroid gland was in the field of radiation, within the 10 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  11. (11)
    having received iodine-131 (radioactive iodine) treatment within the 10 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  12. (12)
    being obese for at least 5 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: being obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  13. (13)
    having postpartum thyroiditis within the 10 years before the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  14. (14)
    being pregnant or within the 12 months postpartum at the time of the clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;
  15. (15)
    for myxoedema coma only, having an acute precipitating event within the 48 hours before that clinical worsening of Hashimoto thyroiditis;

    Note: acute precipitating event and myxoedema coma are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  16. (16)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for Hashimoto thyroiditis;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(8) to 9(16) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.

A VHC Diagnostic Assessment addresses each of these factors one by one against your service record and clinical history. See how a VHC DVA claim works, see all fees ($600 + GST per stage) or book an appointment.

About Dr Thomas Perkins

One doctor. Every report.

Founding doctor of the Veterans Health Centre in Ipswich, Queensland, and one of Australia's most experienced practitioners in veterans' medicolegal medicine.

Dr Perkins has spent more than thirteen years working exclusively with current and former ADF members — treating their conditions, writing their reports and navigating the DVA system alongside them. With over 100,000 claims submitted and 2,000 Permanent Impairment Assessments completed, he has seen precisely what separates an accepted claim from a rejected one at every level, from initial liability to the Veterans' Review Board.

Every chart review, diagnostic assessment, impairment rating and appeal that leaves this clinic is personally overseen by Dr Perkins. No template, no locum, no hand-off.

0429 146 039 reception@vhc.org.au

Book appointment