This article aims to synthesize the existing literature on the implementation of public policies to incentivize the development of treatments for rare diseases (which are diseases with very low prevalence and therefore with low commercial interest) otherwise known as orphan drugs. The implementation of these incentives in the 1980s in the United States (US), later in Japan, and in the European Union (EU) seems to be related to a substantial increase in treatments for these diseases, and has influenced the way the pharmaceutical research & development (R&D) system operates beyond this area. In spite of this success, the academic literature also highlights the negative implications that these public policies have on affordability and access to orphan drugs, as well as on the prioritization of certain rare disease areas over others. The synthesis focuses mostly on the United States' Orphan Drug Act (ODA) as a model for subsequent policies in other regions and countries. It starts with a historical overview of the creation of the term "rare diseases", continues with a summary of the evidence available on the US ODA's positive and negative impacts, and provides a summary of the different proposals to reform these incentives in light of the negative outcomes described. Finally, it describes some key aspects of the Japanese and European policies, as well as some of the challenges captured in the literature related to their impact in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).