Senior police and politicians are supporting a nationwide pill testing trial at Australian music festivals this summer - outside NSW.

Fairfax Media revealed in April that Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation president Alex Wodak and Canberra physician David Caldicott would launch pill-testing at forthcoming Sydney festivals with or without government permission, risking possible arrest and police charges.

Ecstasy tablets will come under the microscope at festivals this year. Credit:Viki Yemettas

To date, the NSW Police Force and Baird Government have labelled the project illegal. But in a significant development, high-level talks have commenced between trial organisers and police in other states who are understood to be both "sympathetic" and "interested" in the trial as a harm minimisation strategy. It was observed that the program might also help provide "early warning" about dangerous products before they flood the market.

"We continue to progress," said Dr Caldecott last week. "We've got the funding. Meetings with law enforcement have been face to face and in more than one jurisdiction outside of NSW."