<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-04-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001124608</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>RESPONSE GENETICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RGDX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001166309</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BRIDGER MANAGEMENT, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>90 PARK AVENUE, 40TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10016</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001258394</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MIGNONE ROBERTO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>90 PARK AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>40TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10016</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001124973</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SWIFTCURRENT OFFSHORE, LTD.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>90 PARK AVENUE, 40TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10016</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrants (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>.37</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-04-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1351352</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2015-04-03</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-04-03</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1351352</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1351352</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The warrants were acquired in connection with the Second Amended Credit Agreement dated as of April 3, 2015 (the &quot;Second Amended Credit Agreement&quot;) among the Issuer, as the borrower, and the parties thereto, including Swiftcurrent Offshore Master Ltd., as a lender. Swiftcurrent Offshore Ltd. invests substantially all of its assets in Swiftcurrent Offshore Master, Ltd. and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the securities owned by Swiftcurrent Offshore Master, Ltd.  Pursuant to the Second Amended Credit Agreement, Swiftcurrent Offshore Master Ltd. provided the Issuer with a Term Loan Commitment of $551,000.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Swiftcurrent Offshore Master, Ltd. is the owner of record of the warrants reported herein. As stated above, Swiftcurrent Offshore Ltd. invests substantially all of its assets in Swiftcurrent Offshore Master, Ltd. and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the securities owned by Swiftcurrent Offshore Master, Ltd.  Bridger Management LLC is the investment adviser to Swiftcurrent Offshore Master Ltd.  Mr. Mignone is the managing member of Bridger Management, LLC.  Each of Bridger Management LLC and Mr. Mignone may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Each reporting person and entity named herein disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person or any entity named herein is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16, or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Roberto Mignone, Managing Member of Bridger Management, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-04-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Roberto Mignone</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-04-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Roberto Mignone, Managing Member of Investment Adviser for Swiftcurrent Offshore, Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-04-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
