The promotion of augmenting and enhancing healthcare in the ethical metaverse setting should be guided by the fundamental bioethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice, focusing on minimising risks and adverse outcomes. Implementing a patient-centred strategy and establishing responsible regulatory measures are essential for harnessing the advantages of metaverse technology in the healthcare sector while effectively tackling the associated problems. The chapter explores the ethical considerations surrounding using metaverse technology within the healthcare sector.
Top1. Introduction
In the contemporary era of swift and constant transformations, technology emerges as an all-encompassing entity that propels alterations in nearly every aspect of human existence (Gaur et al., 2023; Sharma et al., 2022). The rapid progression of technology consistently reveals novel solutions and prospects, affecting almost all industries with its capacity for transformation (Afaq and Gaur, 2021; Chaudhary, Gaur and Chakrabarti, 2022). Among the various industries, healthcare stands out as a primary benefactor of technology improvements (Bhandari et al., 2022; Biswas et al., 2022). The integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, data analytics, and telemedicine, has significantly transformed the provision of healthcare services, diagnostic procedures, and patient treatment (Ahmed, Biswas, et al., 2022; Protic et al., 2022). The advancement in healthcare technology not only improves the standard of medical services but also holds the potential to extend the accessibility and customisation of healthcare to an unprecedented level (Bandyopadhyay et al., 2023; Sahu et al., 2023). The metaverse, a networked virtual reality environment, plays a significant role in redefining the future of healthcare within the dynamic framework of healthcare technology. This transformative influence is unprecedented in its impact (Afaq et al., 2023a; Chaudhary, Gaur, Jhanjhi, et al., 2022).
The metaverse, a networked virtual reality environment, is bringing about significant transformations in numerous sectors, including healthcare (Gaur, Afaq, Solanki, et al., 2021; Jain et al., 2021). The metaverse presents a novel domain for implementing intelligent healthcare applications, utilising immersive technologies and artificial intelligence to augment patient experiences, increase medical training, and facilitate customised care. The metaverse holds immense potential for transformative advancements in healthcare, encompassing a wide range of applications such as telemedicine, virtual consultations, medical simulations, and mental health support. Integrating virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and other sophisticated technologies in the healthcare sector offers a promising domain known as the metaverse. This emerging frontier holds the potential to revolutionise the delivery and experience of healthcare services. Particularly the outbreak of COVID-19 has expedited the incorporation of technology inside the healthcare sector to an unprecedented extent (Afaq et al., 2023b; Tyagi et al., 2022). Telemedicine and remote monitoring technologies have emerged as crucial instruments in the management of patient care and the mitigation of physical interaction (Bandyopadhyay et al., 2023; Gaur, Afaq, Singh, et al., 2021). The digital transformation facilitated not just enhanced responsiveness to the pandemic but also underscored the imperative for pioneering healthcare solutions (Gaur, Singh, et al., 2021; Ghose et al., 2023).