Which of the following is NOT a Drug Utilization Management technique?

Generic substitution is not classified as a Drug Utilization Management (DUM) technique in the same way that the other options are. DUM techniques primarily focus on ensuring that medications are used efficiently, safely, and appropriately within a patient population.

Prior authorization requires healthcare providers to obtain approval before a specific drug can be prescribed, ensuring that the medication is necessary according to the patient's condition and that it adheres to clinical guidelines. Step therapy involves starting treatment with the most cost-effective and least risky option before progressing to more expensive or riskier alternatives, which helps control costs and minimize unnecessary exposure to high-risk medications. Disease management is a proactive approach that involves coordinated care and support for patients with chronic conditions to optimize medication use and health outcomes.

In contrast, generic substitution is a practice of replacing a brand-name drug with its generic equivalent when available, based on the premise that generics are bioequivalent and therapeutically equivalent to their brand-name counterparts. While it contributes to cost savings in medication expenditure, it does not actively manage or monitor the appropriateness of drug use in the way the other techniques do. Hence, it stands apart from the primary goals of Drug Utilization Management.