Launch of a jab to help weight loss has been paused – because suppliers fear demand will be too high

The launch of a game-changing jab to aid weight loss has been paused as suppliers fear demand will be too high.

Weight-loss services in the UK had expected Wegovy to hit shelves this week, but have now been told there may be an indefinite delay.

The weekly shots were approved by the NHS and the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) had recommended the drug to tens of thousands of overweight Britons.

It was thought that more overweight people in the UK wanted to take the injections privately.

There are suggestions that it could be up to a year before the weight loss drug shows up in UK stores.

Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk said it hoped the drug would hit shelves ‘as soon as possible’ but did not give a definitive timeline for availability (File image)

Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk said it hoped the drug would hit shelves “as soon as possible,” but did not give a definitive timeline for availability. The Telegraph reported.

Trials of the drug have shown that it can lead to as much as 10 percent weight loss.

The UK had also negotiated far cheaper rates for the jab than in the US, where it has been available for about two years.

In America it can cost up to $1,300 (£1,000) each month, but in the UK it would cost around £125 per month.

Last October, Elon Musk tweeted that the secret to his weight loss was “fasting and Wegovy,” sparking interest in the drug, known by its generic name semaglutide.

Semaglutide mimics a natural hormone released when food is eaten that regulates appetite.

It also mimics a hormone that regulates insulin levels, making it a crucial drug for diabetics.