User-protective hypodermic syringe holder

A user-protective holder for use with a hypodermic syringe having a barrel, finger flanges projecting out from the barrel adjacent one end thereof and a coupling for receiving a needle at the other end of the barrel, and a plunger received in the barrel, comprising a unitary tubular holder member adapted to be received over the syringe barrel with a proximate portion closely adjacent the gripping flanges and a distal end closely adjacent the distal end of the barrel, leaving the needle substantially fully exposed for use, coupling means including a coupling element engageable with the finger flanges of the barrel for securing the holder member to the syringe barrel, a tubular protective sheath received over the barrel in a retracted position in which the needle is exposed for use and movable along the barrel to an extended position in which the needle is received entirely within the sheath such that the sheath protects the user against needle pricks, releasable latch means for coupling the sheath to the holder member in the retracted position, the latch means and coupling means being adapted to enable the holder member and sheath to be preassembled to each other before the syringe is inserted into and coupled to the holder member, and means for holding the sheath in the extended position upon release of the latch means and movement of the sheath to the extended position.