my $query = q{select distinct
            account,
            account_id,
            company,
            the_date
        from account_information
        where account_id = ?};

my $sth = $dbh->prepare($query);

$sth->execute($_);

##</code><code>##

my $query = "select distinct
            account,
            account_id,
            company,
            the_date
        from account_information
        where account_id = ?";

my $sth = $dbh->prepare($query);

$sth->execute($dbh->quote($_));