A delay mechanism for an automatic injection device including a housing and a medication filled syringe having a barrel, a piston, and an injection needle, the device operable for moving the syringe in a first direction relative to the housing to extend the injection needle beyond the housing, the delay mechanism comprising: a shuttle (170, 216) rotatably fixed relative to the housing and configured for engaging the syringe for retraction; a follower movable from a first position on the housing to a second position on the housing, said second position rotationally spaced from said first position; a damping compound between surfaces (80, 190) of said follower and at least one of said shuttle and the housing to dampen rotation of said follower; at least one biasing member providing a force urging said follower from said first position to said second position; and a biased plunger element adapted to drive the piston within the barrel to force medication through the injection needle for an injection, said biased plunger element biased in the first direction within the housing from a first location to a second location, said plunger element rotatably fixed relative to the housing; said follower prevented from rotating from said first position toward said second position by said plunger element being in said first location, said follower freed to rotate from said first position toward said second position by said plunger element moving from said first location to said second location; wherein: said second position is axially spaced from said first position in a direction opposite to the first direction; said follower is keyed with the housing for movement from said first position on the housing to said second position on the housing; said follower is configured to move said shuttle in said direction opposite to the first direction when said follower moves from said first position to said second position; and said follower, when freed to move from said first position toward said second position by said plunger element moving from said first location to said second location, being shifted from said first position to said second position by said at least one biasing member to thereby move said shuttle for retracting the injection needle into the housing after injection. a shuttle (170, 216) rotatably fixed relative to the housing and configured for engaging the syringe for retraction; a follower movable from a first position on the housing to a second position on the housing, said second position rotationally spaced from said first position; a damping compound between surfaces (80, 190) of said follower and at least one of said shuttle and the housing to dampen rotation of said follower; at least one biasing member providing a force urging said follower from said first position to said second position; and a biased plunger element adapted to drive the piston within the barrel to force medication through the injection needle for an injection, said biased plunger element biased in the first direction within the housing from a first location to a second location, said plunger element rotatably fixed relative to the housing; said follower prevented from rotating from said first position toward said second position by said plunger element being in said first location, said follower freed to rotate from said first position toward said second position by said plunger element moving from said first location to said second location; wherein: said second position is axially spaced from said first position in a direction opposite to the first direction; said follower is keyed with the housing for movement from said first position on the housing to said second position on the housing; said follower is configured to move said shuttle in said direction opposite to the first direction when said follower moves from said first position to said second position; and said follower, when freed to move from said first position toward said second position by said plunger element moving from said first location to said second location, being shifted from said first position to said second position by said at least one biasing member to thereby move said shuttle for retracting the injection needle into the housing after injection. said second position is axially spaced from said first position in a direction opposite to the first direction; said follower is keyed with the housing for movement from said first position on the housing to said second position on the housing; said follower is configured to move said shuttle in said direction opposite to the first direction when said follower moves from said first position to said second position; and said follower, when freed to move from said first position toward said second position by said plunger element moving from said first location to said second location, being shifted from said first position to said second position by said at least one biasing member to thereby move said shuttle for retracting the injection needle into the housing after injection.