The judge overseeing U.S. cities’ and counties’ lawsuits against makers of opioid painkillers said he hopes a sweeping resolution can be worked out by the end of the year that will have a “meaningful impact’’ on the burgeoning drug epidemic.

U.S. District Judge Dan Polster on Tuesday told lawyers representing drugmakers, including Purdue Pharma Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, and governments that he intends to push for a settlement that does more than “just moves money around.’’

“We have to dramatically reduce the total number of pills out there, and make sure the pills that are out there are being used properly,’’ the Cleveland-based judge said. “We all know a lot of those pills have gone walking with devastating results’’-- referring to the resale of the drugs on the black market.