The Biden administration slapped a 5-year ban on federal research funding going to EcoHealth Alliance, a firm that sent U.S. taxpayer dollars to the Chinese virus lab at the center of speculation about the origins of the coronavirus.

Health and Human Services imposed a similar bar on Dr. Peter Daszak, former president of EcoHealth.

HHS had suspended funding last year while it carried out a full investigation. Friday’s moves reflect the results of that probe.

“After considering the information in the administrative record in this matter, including the information presented in the above-mentioned responses, I have determined that a period of debarment for EHA is necessary to protect the Federal Government’s business interests,” HHS’s debarment official wrote in a letter to EcoHealth.

A similar letter also went to Dr. Daszak.

Critics say EcoHealth used U.S. taxpayer money to fund risky gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, manipulating bat viruses to make them more dangerous.

EcoHealth has denied its money contributed to that research.

“The bat coronavirus research conducted by EcoHealth Alliance and the Wuhan Institute of Virology could not have started the pandemic,” the firm says in a lengthy rebuttal on its web page.

Some U.S. intelligence agencies have said the coronavirus that killed millions of people and shut down much of the global economy leaked from that lab.

EcoHealth says it believes the virus originated in nature rather than from a lab.

Whatever the truth of that dispute, EcoHealth was dinged by a federal inspector general for failing to follow the terms of its grant and failing to report properly when the Wuhan research raised flags.

Congressional Republicans had been pushing for punishment of EcoHealth and they cheered Friday’s decisions.

“Justice for the American people was served today,” said Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. “Today’s decision is not only a victory for the U.S. taxpayer, but also for American national security and the safety of citizens worldwide.”

The White Coat Waste Project, which shone light on EcoHealth’s funding early on, said it was “thrilled” to see the research firm and Dr. Daszak punished.

“We’re proud that we’ve helped ensure that taxpayers are never again forced to fund EcoHealth’s wasteful and dangerous virus hunting and animal experimentation,” said Anthony Bellotti, founder of White Coat Waste Project.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.