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 help weight loss has been paused because suppliers fear demand will be too high.

Weight loss services in Britain had expected Wegovy to hit shelves this week but have now been told there might be an indefinite delay.

The weekly jabs 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 Brits.

More overweight people in the UK were thought to be looking to take the injections privately.

There have been suggestions it could be up to a year before the weight loss drug is seen in British stores.

Weight loss services in Britain had expected Wegovy (pictured) to hit shelves this week but have now been told there might be an indefinite delay (File image)

Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk said it hoped the drug would be on shelves ‘as soon as possible’ but did not put a definitive timeframe on availability (File image)

Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk said it hoped the drug would be on shelves ‘as soon as possible’ but did not put a definitive timeframe on availability, The Telegraph reported.

Trials of the drug found it could lead to a whopping 10 per cent of weight loss.

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

In America, it can cost up to $1,300 (£1,000) every month but in the UK was set to be priced at around £125-a-month.

Last October, Elon Musk tweeted that the secret to his weight loss was ‘fasting and Wegovy,’ fuelling interest in the drug, known by the 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 critical medication for diabetics.