Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01454:reg:7
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01454
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 7
Character Range: 1674–3909

7               Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
(1)          This Statement of Principles is about chronic fatigue syndrome and death from chronic fatigue syndrome.
Meaning of chronic fatigue syndrome
(2)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, chronic fatigue syndrome means a syndrome of intense, prolonged fatigue that meets the following diagnostic criteria:
(a)           new or definitive onset of severe fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical activity or mental exertion;
(b)           the fatigue has persisted for at least 6 consecutive months and is not due to ongoing exertion;
(c)          other mental or physical conditions associated with fatigue have been ruled out by a doctor and by any relevant diagnostic testing;
(d)           the fatigue significantly interferes with daily activities and work; and
(e)           the individual concurrently has 4 or more of the following 8 symptoms:
(i)            post-exertion malaise lasting more than 24 hours;
(ii)         unrefreshing sleep;
(iii)       significant impairment of short-term memory or concentration;
(iv)        muscle pain;
(v)          pain in the joints without swelling or redness;
(vi)        headaches of a new type, pattern, or severity;
(vii)      tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpit; or
(viii)    a sore throat that is frequent or recurring.
            Note 1: Any of these additional symptoms should have persisted or recurred during 6 or more consecutive months of illness and they cannot have first appeared before the fatigue.
            Note 2: Other mental and physical conditions that can be associated with severe, chronic fatigue include depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, dementia of any type and morbid obesity.
Death from chronic fatigue syndrome
(3)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, chronic fatigue syndrome, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's chronic fatigue syndrome.
Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.