Defence of doctors and practitioners applying traditional Chinese medicine and how they deal with the criticism from their conventional colleagues

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been common practice for many years, and part of the treatment plan of several million patients in the world. This includes areas such as Great Britain, USA, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland and China. However, its possibilities in the territory of the Czech Republic are limited and insufficiently mapped (the area of practicing TCM for non-medical education practitioners). The thesis analyzes the current situation of doctors and practitioners applying TCM in the territory of the Czech Republic compared to other countries where TCM has been successfully established within the health system for many years. It also aims to find out how doctors and practitioners advocate their focus, what reasons they present for treatment with the TCM and how they deal with the criticism of their colleagues from the West. The work will include findings on why conventional physicians are heading towards Eastern medicine. Due to the debate of the topic, the thesis will continue to deal with the legislative anchoring of TCM in the laws of the Czech Republic and the world. The theoretical part of the thesis presents basic concepts related to the history and philosophy of the TCM. It also describes methods of diagnostics, treatment and pillars that the TCM supports..