Sickle-cell disorder
Meaning of sickle-cell disorder: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, sickle-cell disorder means: (a) a genetic disorder leading to the production of haemoglobin S (HbS), a defective form of haemoglobin; and includes: (b) sickle-cell disease, in which there are two copies of the HbS gene (HbSS); and (c) sickle-cell trait, in which there is one copy of the HbS gene and one normal gene (HbSA); and (d) double heterozygous sickling disorders, in which there is one copy of the HbS gene plus one copy of another β-globin gene variant.
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 40 of 2017
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 sickle-cell disorder or death from sickle-cell disorder with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)experiencing a stimulus from Specified List 1 of stimuli within the 24 hours before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: Specified List 1 of stimuli and clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (2)experiencing a stimulus from Specified List 2 of stimuli within the seven days before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: Specified List 2 of stimuli and clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (3)smoking at least one pack-year of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products, before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder, and where smoking has ceased, the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder has occurred within six months of cessation;
Note: pack-year of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products and clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (4)being exposed to second-hand smoke for at least 1 000 hours before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder, and where the last exposure to second-hand smoke occurred within the six months before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: being exposed to second-hand smoke and clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (5)being treated with corticosteroids, other than inhaled or topical corticosteroids, within the 30 days before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (6)having symptomatic asthma within the one year before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (7)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for sickle-cell disorder;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(1) to 9(7) 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. 41 of 2017
6 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, sickle-cell disorder or death from sickle-cell disorder is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)experiencing a stimulus from Specified List 1 of stimuli within the 24 hours before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: Specified List 1 of stimuli and clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (2)experiencing a stimulus from Specified List 2 of stimuli within the seven days before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: Specified List 2 of stimuli and clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (3)smoking at least one pack-year of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products, before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder, and where smoking has ceased, the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder has occurred within six months of cessation;
Note: pack-year of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products and clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (4)being exposed to second-hand smoke for at least 1 000 hours before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder, and where the last exposure to second-hand smoke occurred within the six months before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: being exposed to second-hand smoke and clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (5)being treated with corticosteroids, other than inhaled or topical corticosteroids, within the 30 days before the clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder;
Note: clinical worsening of sickle-cell disorder is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (6)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for sickle-cell disorder;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(1) to 9(6) 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.
