Changes to the lists of Statements of Principles and accepted late-onset conditions, April 2025
Changes to the lists of Statements of Principles and accepted late-onset conditions, April 2025
The Statements of Principles (SOPs) are a tool to determine if an injury, illness or death is service-related.
On 10 April, 22 replacement Statements of Principles, eight new Statements of Principles, and six revocations without replacement come into force in New Zealand.
Replacement SOPs
- Achilles tendinopathy [Name has changed from Achilles tendinopathy and bursitis]
- fracture
- ingrown nail [Name has changed from ingrowing nail]
- Meniere disease and Meniere syndrome [Name has changed from Meniere's disease]
- myelodysplastic neoplasm (syndrome) [Name has changed from myelodysplastic syndrome]
- neoplasm of the pituitary gland
- non-melanoma malignant neoplasm of the skin [Name has changed from non-melanotic malignant neoplasm of the skin]
- osteoporosis
- pinguecula
- subcutaneous lipoma [Name has changed from lipoma]
- tooth decay (dental caries) [Name has changed from dental caries].
New SOPs
- Merkel cell carcinoma
- pathological fracture
- retrocalcaneal heel bursitis
- trigeminal neuralgia or trigeminal neuropathy.
Revocations without replacement
- antiphospholipid syndrome
- trigeminal neuralgia
- trigeminal neuropathy.
Accepted late-onset conditions
Accepted late-onset conditions are conditions that could be accepted as being linked to specific exposure or events occurring during qualifying operational service.
They are applied only to veterans with qualifying service on or after 1 April 1974.
Explanation of qualifying service
Their purpose is to ensure that families of veterans whose death was the result of a late-onset malignancy or other physical or mental disorder receive entitlements under the Veterans' Support Act 2014.
Name changes to the list of late-onset conditions
The list of accepted late-onset conditions has been updated as a result of name changes:
- myelodysplastic syndrome has been renamed myelodysplastic neoplasm (syndrome)
- non-melanotic malignant neoplasm of the skin has been renamed non-melanoma malignant neoplasm of the skin.
These changes align with the name changes that have occurred through adoption of the revised SOPs for the conditions.
Removal from the list of late-onset conditions
Following an annual audit, one condition has been removed from the list of accepted late-onset conditions:
- gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
This change aligns with the revocation of the SOPs for the condition.
Additions to the list of accepted late-onset conditions
The removed condition of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer has effectively been replaced by two new accepted late-onset conditions:
- duodenal ulcer and duodenal erosion
- gastric ulcer and gastric erosion.
Three further conditions have also been added to the list of accepted late-onset conditions:
- Merkel cell carcinoma
- myocarditis
- pericarditis.
These five additions align with the adoption of the SOPs for the conditions.
More information
The Statements of Principles are a tool to determine if an injury, illness or death is service-related.
More information on Statements of Principles
For more information on these amendments, you can read:
The Australian Government Repatriation Medical Authority's website(external link)