Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00013:reg:7
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00013
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 7
Character Range: 1659–4148

7               Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
(1)          This Statement of Principles is about hypothyroidism and death from hypothyroidism.
Meaning of hypothyroidism
(2)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, hypothyroidism:
(a)          means a functional disorder in which there is deficiency of thyroid hormone that produces clinical symptoms and signs or warrants medical treatment; and
(b)          includes:
                (i)            primary hypothyroidism due to dysfunction of the thyroid gland; and
                (ii)         central hypothyroidism due to decreased secretion of thyroid hormone from a functionally normal thyroid gland as a result of hypothalamic or pituitary disease; and
                (iii)       peripheral hypothyroidism due to inactivation of thyroid hormone; and
(c)          excludes:
                (i)            congenital hypothyroidism;
                (ii)         congenital iodine-deficiency syndrome;
                (iii)       Hashimoto thyroiditis;
                (iv)        sick euthyroid syndrome;
                (v)          subclinical hypothyroidism; and
                (vi)        transient hypothyroidism during recovery from non-thyroidal illness.
            Note 1: Hypothyroidism typically presents with low serum concentrations of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and/or triiodothyronine (T3), and with an increased concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone. However, in central hypothyroidism, the thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration may be low to normal.
            Note 2: Clinical symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism are nonspecific and typically include fatigue, lethargy, cold intolerance, weight gain, constipation, change in voice and dry skin.
            Note 3: In the circumstance where hypothyroidism is a clinical manifestation of Hashimoto thyroiditis, it is covered by the Statements of Principles concerning Hashimoto thyroiditis.
            Note 4: Hypothyroidism may be acute or chronic. The acute form may present as myxoedema coma.
            Note 5: myxoedema coma is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Death from hypothyroidism
(3)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, hypothyroidism, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's hypothyroidism.
Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.