The Canary Report

Austria recognizes Multiple Chemical Sensitivity as a physical disease

Posted on Jun 26, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Disability Rights, MCS, Social Justice

Just like Germany, Austria is now classifying Multiple Chemical Sensitivity as a physical disease.

The Chemical Sensitivity Network reports:

Just like Germany, Austria is now classifying Chemical Sensitivity / MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity as a physical disease under the code T78.4 of the ICD-10 (the register of diseases).

The news comes from a recent letter by the Department of Health of the Austrian Government.

MCS in the ICD-10 in Germany

In a letter dated September 4, 2008 the DIMDI, the Cooperation Partner for Germany of the WHO, wrote that MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity was classified in the register ICD-10 GM which is valid in Germany: MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, T78.4… Allergy, not otherwise specified; Chapter 19 (Injuries, Intoxication and certain other outcomes), Article T66-T78 (Other and unspecified injuries caused by external causes).

MCS in Austria recognized as physical disease

With a letter dated June 24, 2009 regarding “Chemical Sensitivity / MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (T78.4)”, the Department of Health of the Austrian Government declares that: In response to your letter dated 4/14/2009 to the Minister of Health Mr. Stoerger, we inform you that the WHO ICD-10 Code modified for Germany from DIMDI is used in Austria as well.

Also in Austria MCS is not a psychological disease

It should be emphasized that the German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI) declared explicitly that there is not any allocation of MCS in Chapter 5 (Mental and behavioural disorders) of the ICD-10-GM. Thus, the debate about MCS as mental illness is at an end.

In Germany doctors who document the diagnosis and the hospital administrations work under the Social Security Code V, which states that the diagnoses have to be made according to the systematic list of ICD-10-GM. Thus, the ICD-10 classification is legally binding.

The Department of Health of the Austrian Government refers in the letter that MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is recognized in Austria as a physical disease, because also there it will have the code T78.4 in the ICD-10.

Author:

Silvia K. Müller, CSN – Chemical Sensitivity Network, 26. June 2009

References:

Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, Chemikalien-Sensitivität / MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (ICD-10 T78.4), 24.06.2009, Wien, Österreich.

DIMDI Letter to CSN, MCS ICD-10, 04.09.2008

DIMDI Letter, 04.09.2008

Reprinted with permission of Silvia K. Müller, CSN – Chemical Sensitivity Network.

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Tags: MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Policy