A retractable needle safety syringe is provided having a braking mechanism. The braking mechanism may be disposed at a proximal portion of a syringe body of the syringe. The braking mechanism may comprise a brake member which is traversable between a braking position and a released position. At the braking position, fingers of the brake member frictionally engage an outer surface of the shaft of a plunger of the syringe. The frictional engagement counterbalances a retraction force that urges a piston of the syringe toward a retracted position. When the brake members are traversed to the released position, the fingers do not press against the outer surface of the shaft. As such, the retraction force may traverse the piston toward the retracted position and traverse a needle and needle holder into the body of the syringe.