A syringe for medical use comprising: a barrel further comprising a longitudinally extending tubular fluid chamber, a nose disposed forwardly of the chamber, a rearwardly facing opening, and two oppositely facing, longitudinally extending, outwardly facing, substantially flat indicia display surfaces (220, 236) disposed proximally to the fluid chamber; a plunger slidably inserted into the tubular fluid chamber through the rearwardly facing opening; a needle projecting forwardly from the nose in fluid communication with the fluid chamber; and a needle safety device slidably engaging the barrel, wherein the needle safety device has and maintains a fixed overall length and further comprises a forwardly facing needle tip shield circumferentially surrounding the needle and an activation handle disposed behind the needle tip shield, wherein the activation handle has a pair of longitudinally extending channels disposed on opposite sides of activation handle, wherein an longitudinally extending rail with an inwardly projecting retainer edge is provided on the inwardly facing walls of each of the outwardly facing indicia display surfaces (220, 236), wherein the longitudinally extending rails are cooperatively sized and configured to engage and provide a smooth, slidable interface along each of aligned channels of needle safety device, wherein slide stops each having a ramp and stop shoulder are provided rearwardly of the longitudinally extending rails, wherein the opposed and facing ramps are configured to allow the activation handle to slide forwardly relative to barrel to a point where the needle tip shield covers and protects a tip end of needle following use of syringe, and that after the tip end of needle is covered, the opposed and facing stop shoulders prevent the activation handle from being moved rearwardly relative to barrel to again expose the needle tip. a barrel further comprising a longitudinally extending tubular fluid chamber, a nose disposed forwardly of the chamber, a rearwardly facing opening, and two oppositely facing, longitudinally extending, outwardly facing, substantially flat indicia display surfaces (220, 236) disposed proximally to the fluid chamber; a plunger slidably inserted into the tubular fluid chamber through the rearwardly facing opening; a needle projecting forwardly from the nose in fluid communication with the fluid chamber; and a needle safety device slidably engaging the barrel, wherein the needle safety device has and maintains a fixed overall length and further comprises a forwardly facing needle tip shield circumferentially surrounding the needle and an activation handle disposed behind the needle tip shield, wherein the activation handle has a pair of longitudinally extending channels disposed on opposite sides of activation handle, wherein an longitudinally extending rail with an inwardly projecting retainer edge is provided on the inwardly facing walls of each of the outwardly facing indicia display surfaces (220, 236), wherein the longitudinally extending rails are cooperatively sized and configured to engage and provide a smooth, slidable interface along each of aligned channels of needle safety device, wherein slide stops each having a ramp and stop shoulder are provided rearwardly of the longitudinally extending rails, wherein the opposed and facing ramps are configured to allow the activation handle to slide forwardly relative to barrel to a point where the needle tip shield covers and protects a tip end of needle following use of syringe, and that after the tip end of needle is covered, the opposed and facing stop shoulders prevent the activation handle from being moved rearwardly relative to barrel to again expose the needle tip.