Medical experts and organisations who gave evidence to the inquiry disagreed on whether the neurological symptoms suffered by the veterans were caused by the quinoline drugs. Loading Hearings held by the committee across the country earlier in the year heard distressed veterans detail the pain they had endured after being subjected to the malarial drugs prior to deployment to East Timor and Papua New Guinea in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Veterans detailed nightmares, personality changes, PTSD-like symptoms, self-harm tendencies and breakdowns in family relationships they had endured ever since. “The medical evidence provided to the committee shows that the incidence of long term or persistent neuropsychiatric adverse reactions to mefloquine is very rare,” the committee’s final report said.

“If the committee looks at the 40 million doses of mefloquine worldwide, the committee was provided with no evidence that the same symptoms are manifesting in the Australian population or across the world in the civilian population.” However as the committee accepted the long-term physical and mental effects suffered by veterans even if they could not prove completely it was caused by the anti-malarial drugs, it focused on providing key recommendations to improve veteran access to support and treatment. An independent review of research by Professor Sandy McFarlane presented to the committee found there was “no specific way” to diagnose chronic mefloquine effects. “Many symptoms are shared with other conditions such as PTSD and there is no specific treatment except to cease the drug and treat the symptoms,” the Senate committee concluded. “The committee was pleased to hear that a neurocognitive program is being developed by [Department of Veterans’ Affairs] which the committee commends and supports.”

Associate Professor Jane Quinn, a pharmacology researcher at Charles Sturt University whose husband was given mefloquine while serving in the British Army, said she was deeply disappointed by the report. Her husband experienced nightmares and many of the effects experienced by the Australian veterans who also took the drugs. He committed suicide in 2006. "The real key need that most of the veterans who'd gone in and given evidence had been looking for from the Senate inquiry was the validation of their experience during those clinical trials," she said. "And unfortunately we didn't get that at all." Professor Quinn said while there were some positives in the report, such as the outreach program for veterans, she was concerned that those who were already "suffering and disenfranchised" and had come forward to tell the Senate of their experiences would feel even more alienated by the report.

"They’ve now put their stories on the table, suffered again in public and they’re absolutely no better off than they were before," she said. Former ADF Major Stuart McCarthy, who also suffered after being given tafenoquine in 1999 and since formed a support group for veterans who underwent the trials, said he was concerned the Senate report did not adequately cover ethical breaches over the trials. While he understood the Senate did not have the medical expertise to provide hard rulings, he said the veterans who had given evidence were particularly feeling "betrayed" as they felt their experiences had not been adequately validated by the report. "I think that’s where a lot of the disappointment and anger stems from, the people who have gone through these traumatic experiences in two decades have not been able to get the right medical treatment," he said. "The inquiry was meant to resolve those issues and tackle them in an unbiased way.

"We were looking at the Senate inquiry not to solve everything, but really to come to grips with a lot of the very substantial questions revolving not just around the medical issues but the care we’ve been denied by the government for two decades." The committee’s final report made 14 recommendations, including a recommendation that the Department of Veterans' Affairs' neurocognitive health program be prioritised and a pilot made available to a targeted population. Major McCarthy said that recommendation was a good positive and he looked forward to seeing the pilot program rolled out. The committee also recommended that pilot program be formally evaluated and a final report made public, followed by a working group of veterans, advocates, medical professionals, and DVA to assess the pilot program. The University of Queensland has also been commissioned to conduct detailed research into the self-reported health of ADF personnel using antimalarials on deployment, which is expected to conclude in late 2018.

That research is expected to be used to better support the veterans experiencing the effects of mefloquine and tafenoquine. Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Chester welcomed the report and said the federal government would consider the recommendations in January. Mr Chester said the DVA had recently held a series of consultation forums around Australia for the anti-malarial drugs. “Hearing from current and former serving members has helped DVA to better understand the needs of those who are seeking advice, support or access to treatment,” he said. “The government has listened to ADF members, veterans and their families and has put into place a number of actions to address their concerns, including a comprehensive online information resource along with establishing a dedicated team to assist with access to treatment and support.”

If you need assistance, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline Australia on 1300 78 99 78 or Open Arms Veterans and Families Counselling on 1800 011 046.