In 1982, Brecher earned a MD at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine; he also had his residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology there.
He subsequently completed a blood banking and transfusion medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic.
From 2001 to 2005 he chaired the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability.
[3] In 2020, he received the Tibby Greenwalt Memorial award from the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB).
[4] His research and advocacy contributed to reducing the risk of bacterial contamination of blood products for transfusion.