U.S. judge overseeing opioid litigation refuses to disqualify himself

The U.S. judge overseeing nationwide litigation concerning the opioid epidemic on Thursday rejected a request by drug distributors and pharmacies that he disqualify himself, including from a landmark trial scheduled for next month.

U.S. District Judge Dan Polster said he was "confident that no reasonable person can legitimately question my impartiality."

He also said that while resolution of what he called a "social epidemic" should be the job of the government's executive and legislative branches, "these are not ordinary times."