A blood collection device comprises an open ended syringe like housing (10)into which a vacutainer can be inserted. The front of the device contains aneedle holder (11) and a double ended needle (12). The needle holder can bedecoupled from the housing and retracted into the device but only after thevacutainer (13) has been removed and a separate needle retraction device (28)has been inserted into the open end of the housing and pushed against theinner end of the needle holder. The needle retraction device comprises ahollow body which is under vacuum and which has an open end closed by a piston(5). The piston functions to decouple the needle holder from the bloodcollection device and lock the needle holder and at the same time to bedecoupled from the hollow body. The piston containing the needle holder andthe attached contaminated needle is sucked back into the hollow body to renderthe needle safe.
