On one hand, a patient who is in pain, ready to "buy" anything in order to get rid of the unbearable evil.

On the other hand, fragrant elixirs in shiny vials, colorful pills with the powdered wisdom of nature, tested recipes from grandma, magical needles that unlock vital energy, experienced hands that make pain disappear, massages and therapeutic touches, balms and potions, miraculous crystals and magnetic bracelets, potent substances against every similar ailment, oriental techniques, meditation tricks and self-healing... flood the internet, feature in magazines, are promoted in pharmacy shelves, advertised by TV stars, and finally, sold at exorbitant prices to cure anything from a common cold to cancer.

Welcome to the world of alternative medicine! And you are not alone. Thousands of patients approach complementary and alternative therapies, which promise healing and are used either in parallel or as a substitute for conventional medicine.

"Conventional" doctors - on the path of trial and experimentation - do not deviate from the Hippocratic oath: the effectiveness of a new therapy is judged based on science, not someone's positive opinion about it.

So, where should the patient turn to? Which medicine is reliable and which one deceives us? Who is right? What are the secrets and... the lies? Do today's doctors know what's best for us, or do the various medical philosophies actually open the way to some ancient, superior knowledge?