When drawing blood, it is useful to always have the needle in a bevel up position but this cannot be guaranteed using conventional syringe barrel/needle assemblies. This problem is solved by providing a needle holder having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being provided with means adapted to secure an integral screw-threaded hub of a needle or a double ended needle, wherein the means comprises a circular wall defining a bore through the proximal end of the needle holder, the wall incorporating a pair of opposed helical ledges, the path of each respective ledge spanning up to half the circumference of the bore, the incline of each ledge being so arranged on the wall as to permit complementary mating contact with a screw-threaded hub of a needle or a double ended needle.
