Ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of virtual agents and virtual reality in healthcare.

Virtual agents (VAs) and immersive virtual reality (VR) applications broaden the opportunities for accessing healthcare by transposing certain processes from the analogue world into a virtual realm. While these innovations offer a number of advantages including improved access for individuals in diverse geographic locations and novel therapeutic options, their implementation raises significant ethical, social, and legal implications. Key considerations pertain to the doctor-patient relationship, privacy and data protection, justice, fairness, and equal access as well as to issues of accountability, liability, and safety. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of the existing literature to analyse the ethical, social, and legal ramifications of employing VAs and VR applications in healthcare. It examines the recommended strategies to mitigate potential adverse effects and addresses current research gaps in this domain.