How can the use of correct parameters in a WHERE clause impact the results of a database query in PHP?

Using correct parameters in a WHERE clause is crucial for accurately filtering data in a database query. Incorrect parameters can lead to inaccurate results or even errors in the query execution. To ensure the correct parameters are used, it is important to properly sanitize user input and validate the data before constructing the query.

// Example of using correct parameters in a WHERE clause
$user_input = $_POST['search_term']; // Assuming this is user input

// Sanitize and validate user input
$search_term = filter_var($user_input, FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Prepare and execute the query with the correct parameter
$query = "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE column_name = :search_term";
$stmt = $pdo->prepare($query);
$stmt->bindParam(':search_term', $search_term, PDO::PARAM_STR);
$stmt->execute();

// Fetch results
$results = $stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);