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The authors of The New Informants, Christopher Bollas and David sundelson, raise important issues for the professions of psychoanalysis and psychology. One important issue raised by them is the demise of a once strictly confidential private relationship by making confidential records available to insurance companies. Attempts have been made to legalize their intrusion into a previously sacred doctor/patient relationship, including private psychotherapy. It appears that economic interests of the insurance industry are overriding consumers' needs.
The authors suggest that “psychoanalysis must become an independent profession” (p. 197). The authors, however, do not have in information at their disposal about the professional efforts already made with these issues, for example, the certification of psychoanalysts in Vermont and legislation in California governing the use of the title.
The volume raises questions about whether insurers should have access to clinical information; the authors ask should insurance or government agencies have the power to dispute treatment necessity, frequency, or length? The authors ask if lawyers, priests, and journalists have successfully fought against revelation of privileged information